Guillem Balague claims Arteta call convinced Martin Odegaard to join Arsenal

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Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Real Madrid playmaker Martin Odegaard – and it could prove to be very important.

The Gunners have been seeking creativity all season, but youngster Emile Smith Rowe has been turning in superb displays of late.

Smith Rowe picked up a knock against Southampton last night though, meaning Odegaard’s arrival could come at the perfect time.

The Norwegian ace has completed a loan move until the end of the season, with the Gunners finally getting the deal over the line.

Odegaard has struggled for playing time with Real Madrid this season, and has now gone on loan to Arsenal until the summer in an effort to prove his quality.

Odegaard did impress at Real Sociedad last season with seven goals and nine assists, and Mikel Arteta will hope to get the best out of him at the Emirates Stadium.

Now, Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has suggested that Odegaard would have stayed at Real, but ‘it had to be Arsenal’ once Arteta called him about a move.

Balague added that Odegaard has picked Arsenal because he should play plenty of first-team football, and believes that the Gunners are already planning to speak to Real about both Odegaard and Dani Ceballos in the summer as they plot longer deals.

“You have to say that yes, Arteta and the call that he made to Odegaard was absolutely crucial,” said Balague. “Real Sociedad were waiting for Real Madrid to take a decision about the future Odegaard, and then Real Madrid said ‘no’ to Real Sociedad.”

“From the moment Arteta got involved, it had to be Arsenal. I think he will fit in very quickly, two or three games maybe. The reason why he’s going to Arsenal, I’m sure – I don’t know this for certain, but it’s logical – is that Arteta has said ‘you will play with me’. The second reason is, I think, Arsenal will try to talk to Real Madrid about both Ceballos and Odegaard at the end of the season. Odegaard has got the plan to go back to Real Madrid, but maybe thinks that another year away will help,” he added.