5 Reasons Why Odegaard Leaving Isn't the End of the World

I never really properly understood this phrase until now – catching feelings for a loan player is one of the most painful things in the world.

Martin Odegaard has been a solid performer throughout his time at Arsenal. Recently, he boasts 2 goals in 2 games in a recent run in form. He has been pulling the strings in the Arsenal attack and reminds many of a young Mesut Ozil.

Despite the player wanting to stay, Real Madrid have made it clear that they do not want Odegaard to stay in London, with coach Zinedine Zidane stating that it is "100% he is staying with us [Real Madrid]". Here are 5 reasons why Zidane keeping the Norwegian isn’t the end of the world.

Number 1: Emile Smith-Rowe

Now I know that this one may sound questionable. In all honesty, I was going to title this point ‘Current Players’, but this really just relates to Emile. Now I know that he isn’t currently at the same level as Martin Odegaard, however this kid is certainly one to watch.

Upon arriving at Arsenal, Smith-Rowe had broken his way into the Starting XI. His arrival, upon that of many other youngsters breathed life into the team after a woeful start to the season in which the attacker was more dry than the Sahara desert. Emile Smith-Rowe lead the charge, constantly producing goal contributions to lead Arsenal onwards, including his (at the time) game winning goal against Newcastle in the FA Cup.

When Odegaard arrived, Smith-Rowe was shortly moved to the bench. Like the true professional he is, he did not complain, and when asked, he performed. He put in shifts at not only CAM but also LM, producing quality wherever he went.

If Odegaard does not return in a red shirt, Emile Smith-Rowe will be more than capable of filling the gap.

Number 2: Potential Transfers

Yes: signing Odegaard permanently would be a massive achievement for the Gunners, as he was named the best signing of the window by Fabrizio Romano. With Zidane wanting him back however, here are some alternate options that Arteta could go for in the upcoming window.

Nabil Fekir

Fekir is another CAM from the La Liga. He shows great ability on the ball and looks to be more of a goal scoring threat than Odegaard is. Valued at only 26m, a cheap signing for such a quality player would be a class act from Edu and the transfer team.

Emi Buendia

Buendia is of course a wide midfielder as it stands but would still be a brilliant signing. He has the most chances created in the Championship currently at Norwich City. Having him out wide woud allow Smith-Rowe to play in the middle, and would be able to provide from LM, rather than just looking to cut in centrally as Aubameyang does.

Harry Kane

I’m just kidding. Would be funny to take another Spurs player from them though.

Number 3: Saving Funds

It has been said by multiple pundits that Arsenal are about 2-3 world class players away from being a real problem in England and Europe. Could Odegaard be one of them? Possibly. However to sign Odegaard, Arsenal would need to splash money on him – around €50-60 million in my opinion.

In spite of this, Arteta has started to and will most likely to continue to clear out the club. Hector Bellerin is said to be likely to leave after 7 years at the club. Bellerin is predicted to return to Barcelona for a fee of around €30-40 million.

Along with clearing out Mustafi and Sokratis (amongst others) last transfer window, the Gunners could look to get rid of either Dani Ceballos, Matteo Guendouzi or Lucas Torreira in the midfielder, as well as others in defence and attack. This would raise funds for a big signing.

Although we don’t have the best attraction as a club currently, Arteta seems to have a way of persuading players. With the money saved from not signing Odegaard combined with the money from selling players, Arsenal could go into the new transfer window with around €100-150 million.

Number 4: Scouting

Scouting is very easily overlooked as a vital asset of a club, however Odegaard could help the scouts out quite a bit… not directly of course. For a while, Arsenal were grabbing at straws that just weren’t there in looking for an Ozil replacement, and finally found Emile Smith-Rowe. The way Odegaard was able to get the ball, retain possession and practically always pick out the right pass will set the bar for our attacking scouts, assisting them in finding players to suit the free-flowing Arsenal style of play that are vital in finding success.

Number 5: it may be

As I’ve said, there are reasons why Odegaard leaving Arsenal isn’t the worst possible scenario. However, in many ways his short loan spell has been vastly beneficial to Arsenal.

He pulls the strings in attack.

He holds the ball brilliantly.

He improves the overall quality of the team.

He is a top presence on the pitch.

For our position and budget, he is the best option currently.

Losing Odegaard would not be the end of the world, but keeping him would be an exciting step in the right direction for the Gunners and their fans. Only time will tell.