Martin Odegaard is the new Arsenal captain.
Mikel Arteta gave the Norway international the armband for a 6-0 victory over Sevilla last weekend in a friendly.
The Arsenal playmaker will keep the captaincy throughout the 2022-23 campaign, replacing Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, both of whom wore the armband last term.
Martin Odegaard was a divisive choice, given that he’s an attacker who’s only been a permanent member of the squad for a little over a year.
However, Sambi Lokonga is certain that Arteta’s made the right choice, gushing over his Arsenal teammate in an interview with the Counter Attack Podcast: “If you look at the way he behaves. He’s so professional. It’s crazy. He’s the first one to come, last to leave. So no I’m not surprised he’s captain.”
New Arsenal captain
Time will tell whether Odegaard is an inspired choice or simply the best leadership candidate of a bad bunch.
Arsenal kick off their Premier League campaign with a visit to Crystal Palace tomorrow night, a ground where they lost 3-0 earlier in 2022.
In fact, the Gunners couldn’t beat Patrick Vieira’s side at the Emirates Stadium either, indicating that the Eagles certainly know how to play against Arteta’s troops.
That being said, the Spanish manager has hopefully solved the overriding issue from last season, an inability to score a lot of goals.
Some £45 million was spent on bringing Gabriel Jesus in from Manchester City and that, you would think, is enough to see Arsenal find the net a lot more regularly, beginning at Selhurst Park potentially.
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