Martin Odegaard exit ‘talks’ bombshell drops as Arsenal line up replacement captain – report | OneFootball

Arsenal could sell Martin Odegaard in the summer of 2026, according to a source, who has also revealed that Declan Rice could replace the Norwegian star as the captain of the first team.

Odegaard has been on the books of Arsenal since 2021 and is under contract at the north London club until the summer of 2028. Initially signed on loan from Real Madrid, the Norway international attacking midfielder has established himself as one of the best players for Arsenal, scoring 42 goals and providing 44 assists in 224 matches in all competitions.

The 27-year-old, though, has not been at his best for Arsenal this season, with injury problems affecting the former Madrid midfielder.

Even when fit, Odegaard has not been able to make the desired impact in the 2025/26 campaign, with just one goal and four assists in 19 Premier League appearances underwhelming for a player of his class and stature.

Earlier in the season, Barcelona were linked with a raid on Arsenal for Odegaard, with a Spanish report recently claiming that there is an ‘internal conflict’ between the midfielder and manager Arteta.

There is a ‘rift’ between Arteta and Odegaard, with Arsenal said to be willing to offload the Norwegian star for €80million (£69.2m, $94.8m).

Now, an X account run by a team of five elite reporters with over 700,000 followers has claimed that Arsenal are ‘in talks’ with Odegaard over his future.

The account, which was cited by The Athletic journalist David Ornstein in the summer of 2025 but is often hit and miss with its exclusives, has reported that Declan Rice is likely to become the new Arsenal captain should Odegaard leave.

The post at 11:40pm on February 15, 2026, reads: “Exclusive: Arsenal are in talks with their captain Martin Odegaard about his role at the club.

“The player could leave to explore new opportunities.

“Declan Rice is likely to be the new @Arsenal captain next season #afc.”

Declan Rice was previously backed for Arsenal captaincy

Some Arsenal fans will be perplexed by rumours that Odegaard could leave, but there is no smoke without fire.

Arsenal manager Arteta’s comments on Odegaard ahead of the match against Leeds United indicated that there is a fundamental difference in the approach between the duo.

When asked about Odegaard dropping into deeper roles, Arteta said, as quoted on Arsenal’s official website: “It’s a bit of his nature, and my nature is to go to the opposite side.

“But we need to respect as well the qualities and the talent of players, and within that, they need to feel the freedom in attack, especially to do what they believe is best.”

Declan Rice has been backed to become the Arsenal captain before, with the former West Ham United star having established himself as one of the best and most important players for the Gunners.

In August 2025, Arsenal legend Tony Adams said in the Irish Independent’s Premier League preview: “He’s got a really big call to make this year and for me he hasn’t done it and the call is to make Declan Rice the captain.

“Declan is my kind of captain and what it might do is free up Martin Odegaard to play with more freedom.

“Every now and again as a manager, you have to put someone that reflects you and the football club that you think can actually take you to the next level.”

When asked if Rice currently reflects Arteta, Adams replied: “I think Rice is better than Arteta – I think he’s a winner.

“I think he’s an Arsenal leader in the dressing room, around the training camp. He’s got standards, he’s got principles.

“I think big managers go actually, you’re my man now. He’s got an opportunity to actually turn into a winner.

“Five years now, he got great success at the start with a very defensive team – we got every player behind the ball and nicked the FA Cup.

“So to go on and win league titles, you have to be a Klopp, you have to be a Ferguson, you have to lead by example, you have to be a winner and that reflects in your captain.

“I’m seeing Declan Rice as the captain but I’m saying to Arteta ‘come on, step up now, it’s your time to be a winning manager’ because you’re not going to win the league with Odegaard as captain.

“You’ve got someone in there that is going to play every game and lay the foundations of a title-winning team. Declan Rice can do that, Odegaard can’t. Come on Arteta, make him captain.”

Former Arsenal midfielder Anders Limpar also said in August 2025 that Rice should become the captain of the Premier League club

Limpar said: “If Tony Adams says Declan Rice should be Arsenal captain I will stand behind it.

“I can’t say anything against my skipper, for sure. He is one of the best skippers there has been in the game and he has won so many things.

“What I’m saying is that it’s not even important because I can’t sit here in Stockholm telling Arsenal to swap to Declan Rice.

“But if Tony Adams says that they’re gonna swap to Declan Rice, I stand behind it.”

Latest Arsenal transfer news: Gabriel Martinelli replacement, Norwegian left-winger eyed

Like Odegaard, there have been rumours that Gabriel Martinelli could also leave the Emirates Stadium at the end of the season, and Arsenal are reported to have identified a replacement winger already.