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Arsenal legend Ray Parlour has praised Martin Odegaard for stepping up for the Gunners this campaign. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder has been putting in eye-catching performances on a weekly basis this season.
Although Odegaard is predominantly a number ten, he has operated from a deeper position in recent weeks. The Norway skipper has shown that he is capable of dictating the tempo of the game and pulling the strings unlike a typical number ten.
Arsenal remain in contention for the fourth spot and Odegaard's form of late has been a key factor behind that. Parlour, speaking on the Seaman Says Podcast, has named the 23-year-old as one of Arsenal’s most improved players this season. The 48-year-old said as quoted by The Boot Room:
“They show that little bit of grit on the pitch and I think there’s more resilience in the team now. The back four is a lot stronger than it was, Xhaka and Partey are playing a lot better in the midfield now, and we know about Saka, Smith Rowe. And Odegaard, he’s really stepped up as well.”
Arsenal currently find themselves in sixth place in the Premier League table with 45 points in 24 games. However, they have played three games fewer than Manchester United and West Ham United, who sit above them in the table.
It can be said that Mikel Arteta's side have their fortunes in their own hands. If the Gunners can keep their momentum going, they can finally make their way back to the Champions League after five years.
Odegaard finally living up to his immense potential at Arsenal
Martin Odegaard made a name for himself at the young age of just 15 and was chased by almost every club in Europe. At his boyhood club Stromgodset in his native Norway, Odegaard started training with senior players in 2012 when he was just 13 years of age.
He eventually made history for his hometown side when he came off the bench in a first-team league game at 15. Odegaard even played his first game for the Norwegian senior side aged just 15 years and 253 days.
He eventually made his move to Real Madrid in 2015 rejecting almost every big club across the continent. It did not quite click for Odegaard at the Santiago Bernabeu as he never got his chance to make the first team despite four successful loan spells.
Arsenal signed him on a permanent deal last summer after he impressed Arteta during his six-month loan spell at the club the previous season.
The 23-year-old did have a slow start to life in London but has established himself as a key player under Mikel Arteta. He is even being touted as the potential captain when Alexandre Lacazette departs in the summer.
