Peter Crouch told BT Sport during their live coverage of Arsenal’s defeat to Southampton that Martin Odegaard can move to North London and ‘fulfil his potential’.
The Guardian have claimed that Arsenal have won the race to sign the one-time ‘wonderkid’ on a six-month loan deal from Real Madrid.
Whilst Emile Smith-Rowe has emerged through the ranks for Arsenal this season, it has still been apparent that they have needed that extra spark and added creative depth in midfield.
Whilst Odegaard has struggled to live up to his hype as a teenager, Crouch backed the idea of the left-footed playmaker joining Arsenal.
“Typically, over the last five, six, seven or eight years, Arsenal have had good players in those positions,” said Crouch. “Players who play between the lines, like he does.
“He’s creative. He hasn’t quite managed to forge out a career. He was a wonderkid as 16-year-old and he hasn’t quite fulfilled that now.
“But maybe he can come into Arsenal and fill a role. And maybe fulfil his potential.”
It will be interesting to see how Mikel Arteta uses Odegaard and whether the 25-cap Norway international walks straight into Arsenal’s starting XI.
Smith-Rowe has been outstanding for a number of weeks now and it would be harsh to disrupt his progression.
But perhaps Arteta can find a space for both of them in his starting XI because that would then add some serious creativity into Arsenal’s combative midfield.
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