Former Manchester United defender and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has singled out Martin Odegaard as the one player that Pep Guardiola would take from the Arsenal side if given the opportunity, adding that he thinks Arsenal must ‘recognise what they have’.
The midfielder impressed again as he helped his side to a narrow 1-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park, the first win Arsenal have managed at the ground since 2017.
And, speaking after the game, Neville singled out the Arsenal man as a player that is approaching the levels of the likes of David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne, adding that if Guardiola could, he would be snapping him up.
“I’m not saying Odegaard is as good as David Silva or Kevin De Bruyne yet, I think he has got a bit to go in his career. But it’s getting to a point now whereby when I watch him play, it is so smooth, it’s so silky.
“I knew he was always a talented player, but we are now talking about something that is very different to just talented, this is real class.’
“I think he now starts to be mentioned in those sort of realms [of Silva and De Bruyne]”
‘He would absolutely break into that Manchester City team because he is a beautiful player to watch, and everytime I watch him he gets better and better. Arsenal must recognise what they have.’
Interesting💭 pic.twitter.com/9L3gFC8WVU
— Daha (@DahaJama12) September 17, 2023
As it stands, Martin Odegaard is under contract until 2025, but talks are underway to prolong that stay until 2027, with the option of a further year for the 24-year-old Gunners skipper.
Speaking ahead of the game, Arteta explained: “He’s our captain, he’s a massive player for us.”
“Really important player for now and the future. We are extremely happy to have him and we want to keep him here for a long time.”
As per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Norway star is ‘very close’ to penning a new deal in north London and that ‘Odegaard is very happy at Arsenal and they are very happy with him, so it seems like only a matter of time’.
