Arsenal could offload key star this summer as Mikel Arteta eyes statement signing | OneFootball

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has been tipped to leave the Premier League giants as they scour the market for a ‘marquee signing’.

Odegaard has been a huge asset for Arsenal over the past few seasons, but he is coming off a disappointing campaign on a personal level.

The Norway international struggled for fitness and form as Arsenal ended their 22-year wait for the Premier League title, and he has been heavily linked with an exit in recent months.

It’s unclear whether Arsenal would entertain selling Odegaard, but a report from Football Insider claims he ‘could quit’ due to having limited game time because they are ‘exploring a marquee signing’, with Morgan Rogers and Morgan Gibbs-White said to be among their options.

And former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown has explained why it “would not” be a “surprise” to see Odegaard leave Arsenal this summer.

“It’s possible (that he could leave). In the early part of last season, the biggest threat that Arsenal had was Odegaard linking up with Saka, and they were doing that very well,” Brown told Football Insider.

“I think he realised that he had to get the ball early to Saka before he gets into that final third and then is out of places to go. Then he got injured, went out of the team, and they couldn’t find the same link of play.

“I used to think he was getting unfair criticism through being injured, but never mind, it’s happened and before it’ll happen again.

“So, from what I hear, he could leave Arsenal. It would not surprise me if he did.”

Morgan Rogers to replace Martin Odegaard?

And ex-Arsenal star Alan Smith thinks it would make sense for Aston Villa standout Rogers to replace Odegaard at the Emirates.

“I suppose, you know, they’d want to get really good money for Martin Odegaard as well,” Smith told BestBettingSites.

“You can’t bring Rogers in without somebody going out because Eberechi Eze is in there as well, and he likes to play in a similar position.

“Every player available seems to gets quoted for £100m or somewhere close to it. It’s all part of the negotiation, I suppose, for the selling club.

“But he’s a youngish player, an England international and a player who is very good and proven at Premier League level.

“So Aston Villa will start high in terms of a fee – clubs will certainly have to pay a good few quid for him.”