"Got to look himself in the mirror" - Pundit calls out Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, warns him that he could be replaced by £68m-rated target

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Darren Bent has urged Arsenal's Martin Odegaard to assess his performances and work on his weaknesses. He went on to claim the Gunners' transfer target, Eberechi Eze, could replace Odegaard as the Gunners' attacking midfielder if signed.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Bent complained about Odegaard's performances since he returned from an ankle injury last season. He also claimed that Eze's versatility would create competition for the Gunners skipper, who seems to be unchallenged and relaxed in his role.

He said (via METRO):

"With Odegaard, he’s got to look himself in the mirror, i’m a big fan of his and I’ve sat on this show before and argued the case that he’s as good as Bruno Fernandes. Last season there was no argument, Bruno was head and shoulders above him. I don’t know what’s happened since the ankle injury but he just hasn’t looked the same.

Bent added:

"Even in pre-season he hasn’t looked anywhere near the Odegaard we saw a couple of years ago. I think if Arsenal were to go and sign Eze from Crystal Palace, then you’ve got an option there because he can play No. 10 or he can play off the left. That will put Odegaard under more pressure because at the minute he’s the captain but he’s not really being challenged or pushed, he’s almost coasting through games at the minute.

Odegaard struggled to influence the attack in the 2024-25 season. In 45 appearances across competitions, he only scored six goals and gave 12 assists.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Crystal Palace's Eze, whose release clause is £68 million. While the England international will play on the left wing if he joins the Gunners, Bent believes he could also replace Odegaard as Arsenal's attacking midfielder.

Eze played a key role in helping Crystal Palace win the FA Cup last season. In 43 games across competitions, he scored 14 goals and gave 11 assists, four of which came in the cup competition.

"We are actively looking at options" - Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta on their possibility of signing more players this summer

AFC v Tottenham Hotspur: Pre-Season Friendly - Source: Getty

Mikel Arteta, has hinted that the Gunners could sign more players before the summer transfer deadline. He also revealed that some existing players might also leave in the coming weeks.

In a recent press conference, Arteta said:

"Let's see what happens in terms of where the squad is in the next few weeks, but we are actively looking at options, as well there are a few players maybe that they have to leave as well so we'll be open to see what happens."

The north London giants have spent £194.9 million on player acquisitions this summer. They have signed Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Cristhian Mosquera, and Christian Norgaard.

The Premier League giants are also looking to table a bid for Crystal Palace's Eze before the transfer deadline. As per football.london, they were also linked with Real Madrid star Rodrygo.