Report: Real Madrid's plans for Odegaard revealed

The Norwegian midfielder completed a loan move to Arsenal in January after falling out of favor at Real Madrid this season.

Real Madrid reportedly still view Martin Odegaard as a big part of their future plans, leaving Arsenal’s hopes of a permanent transfer deal in doubt.

Odegaard has begun to recapture his best form since completing a January loan move to Arsenal. After struggling for regular opportunities in Spain, he has featured six times in north London and started on four occasions.

His early impact has already left Arteta suitably impressed, with the Arsenal manager having recently refused to rule out another transfer deal. He didn’t state, though, whether it would a permanent one or simply an extension to Odegaard’s loan stay.

💬 "He’s a really nice guy, the players like him, the staff like him, he’s easy going, a really hard worker, and I’ve been very impressed with his leadership."@m8arteta 🤝 Martin Odegaard pic.twitter.com/D4SBlkCj4L

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) February 17, 2021

According to Marca, the 22-year-old won’t be a Gunner ‘forever’. Real Madrid believe he has a future with them, meaning Arsenal’s best hope would be convincing the Spanish giants to allow Odegaard to continue on loan for another season.

It’s also alleged the midfielder struggled to perform at his best for Real Madrid due to a knee injury, which he hadn’t properly recovered from last summer.

The former Real Sociedad star, therefore, began the campaign with almost no training and a clear lack of fitness. He could still play games, but the injury prevented him from performing to his best levels.