Arteta reveals what position Odegaard will play for Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is delighted to have Odegaard at his disposal and reveals how he plans to use the Norwegian midfielder.

Mikel Arteta says Odegaard can feature in a number of positions as the Gunners welcome the highly-rated midfielder to their ranks.

Arsenal saw off opposition to sign the 22-year-old and announced his signing on a season-long loan on Wednesday.

🇳🇴 Our Norwegian Gunner! pic.twitter.com/6rt6h3YTPh
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 27, 2021

Odegaard revealed Mikel Arteta was crucial in his decision to join the Gunners as he sought chances for game time elsewhere.

The Gunners boss has now revealed that the club have followed the Real Madrid man for a while adding on how he intends to use the youngster.

“He’s a player that we followed for some time and we believe that he’s got some special qualities that we need, that we have been missing,” Arteta said to the club’s website.

“Now we have to give him a little bit of time. He hasn’t played that many minutes in Madrid but he’s been training hard and he looks so excited, as we are, to have another big talent at our club.

“I think in the last few seasons he’s progressed and developed in the right way. I’ve followed him very closely because he played for Real Sociedad, which is my home town. I know him really well.

“I’ve been really impressed. He’s such a talent. He needs the right environment, he needs a little bit of time but I think he’s got the qualities to be a success for us.”

Odegaard can feature in a number of positions up front and Arteta is happy to welcome the player’s versatility in the heart of midfield.

“He’s a specialist to play in the pockets, to play in the No 8 or 10 positions,” he said. “He can play off the sides. He’s a really creative player who’s really comfortable on the ball in tight spaces.

“He has the capacity to create chances and to score goals. Something that he has improved a lot is his workrate without the ball as well, so it’s another option to give us more creativity for sure in the final third, and give us more options to set up in different ways against certain teams.”