“Gonna talk too much”, “Gonna take up too much space” - Martin Odegaard names 2 Arsenal teammates he wouldn’t want to get stuck in a lift with

Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard has named Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Martinelli as the two teammates he wouldn't want to be stuck in a lift with. The Norwegian has been at the Emirates since January 2021.

Initially on loan from Real Madrid, the move was made permanent that summer. Odegaard, 26, has made nearly 200 first-team appearances across competitions for the Gunners, contributing 40 goals and 37 assists.

He has five goals and 11 assists in 43 outings across competitions this season, including two strikes and seven assists in 28 games in the Premier League, where Mikel Arteta's side are second with two games left.

In a fun Q&A with ESPN UK, Odegaard explained why he would look to avoid Zinchenko and 'Big Gabi' as companions if he were stuck in a lift for 12 hours:

"Zinchenko: he's gonna talk too much. Big Gabi, he's gonna take too much space, so it's gonna be tight."

Some of the other fun questions in the interaction were as follows:

"You're a manager in 2050. Who's gonna be your assistant coach from the current Arsenal team"

Odegaard: "I'll bring Kai (Havertz) on the journey. I don't think so (he's going to be a coach in the future) but for the vibes."

The Norwegian named Ben White as the teammate who gives 100% in training. Odegaard took the name of William Saliba as the funniest player in the current Gunners' set-up, explaining:

"I think he's funny without even trying."

Odegaard named Havertz as his best friend in the current team, elaborating:

"We're good friends. Our wives are close as well."

On the footballing front, the Norwegian picked Martinelli's pace as the one atttribute he would like to have in his game.

What's next for Arsenal?

Arsenal, in the midst of another decent season, are coming off a come-from-behind 2-2 draw at Premier League champions Liverpool last weekend. The Gunners next host third-placed Newcastle United at home on Sunday (April 18), knowing that a win will all but secure a third-straight second-placed finish.

Despite faltering in both domestic competitions, Mikel Arteta's side fared well in Europe. They dumped out holders Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, winning 3-0 at home and 2-1 away in the return. However, their fairy-tale run ended against quadruple-chasing Paris Saint-Germain in the last four, losing 1-0 at home and 2-1 away to bow out.

Following the Newcastle game, the Gunners end their league campaign at Southampton on May 25, having beaten the Saints 3-1 at home in the reverse fixture in October.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 18 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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