Martin Odegaard has revealed details of his emotional reunion with Arsene Wenger, during which the Arsenal legend revealed he was concerned that a player he tried to sign as a teenager was in danger of wasting his talent.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has been in inspirational form this season (Picture: Getty)
The current Gunners’ skipper had the chance to join the north London club as a teenager but spurned the opportunity in favour of signing for Real Madrid.
‘I was actually close to choosing Arsenal. When we went there, I got to train at London Colney,’ he told Players Tribune.
‘I met Arsene Wenger. He took me and Dad out for dinner. That was cool, but strange too. It’s Arsene Wenger, you know? He’s this legend I grew up watching on TV, and now I’m sitting across from him eating steak.
‘I was so nervous I was just sitting there thinking, Is he analysing me right now? Is he going to judge me if I eat the fries? Maybe I should just leave them. Hahaha!’
Odegaard’s move to the Spanish capital never worked out and although loan spells in Holland and with Real Sociedad aided his development, his chances of making it at Madrid were blocked by the likes of club legends Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.
A loan move to Arsenal in January 2021 proved to be an inspired decision and the Norway international has blossomed under the tutelage of Mikel Arteta.
Arsene Wenger returned to Arsenal to watch their Boxing Day win over West Ham (Picture: Getty)
Now 24, Odegaard is the driving force behind an unlikely title challenge that sees Arteta’s emerging Arsenal side five points clear of Manchester City with a game in hand.
Wenger saw first hand just how much Odegaard’s game has improved since his move to England when he returned to Arsenal, after four year absence, to watch Arsenal’s convincing Boxing Day win over West Ham.
‘After the win over West Ham on Boxing Day, I got the chance to speak to Wenger – it was the first time he’d been back to the Emirates since 2018, and the first time I’d seen him since that steak and fries all those years ago,’ Odegaard revealed.
‘We had a good chat and he mentioned that he’d kept a close eye on my career even after I chose Madrid. He was honest and said that at one point he was actually worried about the way things were going for me, but now he’s so happy to see me doing well in the right environment.
‘He’d recognised something. Ever since I left Norway, it’s like everything has felt sort of temporary. I haven’t had that stability, that real deep connection, until now, and that’s so important.’
source: metro.co.uk
