“I always watched him” - Martin Odegaard snubs Thierry Henry as he names ex-Arsenal star he would love to play with

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has picked Cesc Fabregas over Thierry Henry and Santi Cazorla as the former Gunners player he’d like to play with. Odegaard, who joined Arsenal from Real Madrid in 2021, has cemented himself as a key player for the Gunners.

While the Gunners are playing well under Mikel Arteta, the golden era of the north London club will forever be reckoned with Arsene Wenger. Also, when talking about players who established themselves as Arsenal legends, Henry, Fabregas, and Dennis Bergkamp come to mind.

The trio were part of 'The Invincibles' team under Wenger in the 2003-04 campaign. However, among the three, Henry seems to have the biggest legacy at the club. The Frenchman left the Gunners as the all-time top scorer (228 goals in 377 games), and he won a plethora of trophies.

Despite Henry’s output and legacy, it was Fabregas who had the biggest influence on Odegaard. In a recent interview with ESPN, the Norwegian midfielder was asked which Arsenal player from the past he’d want to play with, to which he said (via YouTube channel 'ESPN UK'):

“The natural one to say would be Henry. But I loved Fabregas and I also loved Cazorla. I’m going to go with Fabregas.”

When quizzed on why he picked Fabregas, the 26-year-old said:

“We play the same position, we both like to get on the ball and try to make things happen. I always watched him when I was young. The way he dominated the game with the ball, his engine, and how he controlled the pace of the game was next level. So would be cool (to play alongside him).”

Watch here (4:04)

Odegaard hasn’t been at his best for the Gunners this season. He has 16 goal contributions (five goals and 11 assists) in 43 appearances across competitions.

Martin Odegaard reveals who his best friend is at Arsenal

In the same interview, Martin Odegaard was asked who his best friend was at Arsenal. The midfielder said he had a lot of friends before picking Kai Havertz. He said (7:19 onwards):

“I have a lot of friends, but I’ll probably go Kai [Havertz].

When asked if they spend a lot of time together, Odegaard responded:

“Yeah, we’re good friends. Our wives stay close as well.

Odegaard also jokingly said he would pick Kai Havertz as his assistant if he were a coach.

“I’ll bring Kai you know on the journey. Get him assistant manager there,” he said (3:33 onwards).

When asked if he thinks the German could be a coach in the future, Odegaard said:

“Nah, I don’t think so. But for the vibes, you know, I’ll choose him.”

Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz have played together 65 times and have combined for five goals.