No one can accuse Arsenal and Mikel Arteta of not doing their upmost to improve the first-team squad in this summer’s transfer window, after Martin Odegaard became the latest permanent transfer for the club.
The Norwegian star spent the second half of the last campaign on loan at the Gunners, but returned to Real Madrid at the end of the season.
However, new man in charge, Carlo Ancelotti, was believed to be unimpressed by Odegaard’s credentials, and as such it was a foregone conclusion that the player would have to be seeking pastures new.
Once his permanent availability became known, the Gunners moved quickly to secure his services, and on Friday morning, the official Arsenal website announced that the deal had been done.
The player isn’t available to play against Chelsea in this weekend’s huge London derby fixture as the club wait his international clearance.
Once that has arrived, he’ll wear the number 8 shirt and will surely strengthen the midfield as the north Londoners go looking to bring the glory days back to the Emirates Stadium.