Nearly a decade ago, Cristiano Ronaldo tipped his former Real Madrid team-mate Martin Odegaard to have a great future in the game and judging by the Norwegian's current impact at Arsenal, he appears to have been proven correct. Odegaard was announced as the new captain of the Gunners ahead of the 2022/23 season and he has played a huge role in their surge to the top of the Premier League table.
Arsenal have dropped points in only three of their 17 Premier League games this season after recently suffering a goalless draw against Newcastle. The draw at Emirates Stadium was the first time Mikel Arteta's men have been unable to find the back of the net in the league this season.
Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba and Granit Xhaka were the early front-runners for Arsenal's best player of the season so far, but recently the importance of Odegaard has been realised, especially with how Arteta wants his team to play.
READ MORE: Arsenal concerns over Mykhaylo Mudryk transfer eased after £72m misconception is disproven
The 24-year-old has seven goals and five assists from 22 appearances this season, notching seven of those goal contributions in his last six games, either side of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
After initially arriving on loan from Madrid, where he had failed to live up to the lofty expectations placed on his shoulders as a teenager, the Gunners permanently bought Odegaard from Los Blancos in the summer of 2021 in a £30million deal.
Prior to his move to north London, Odegaard was team-mates with Cristiano Ronaldo and comments from the new Al-Nassr player made to BT Sport in 2015 have re-emerged where he lists Odegaard as one of five players he believed would go on to have a successful career.
“I will mention Martin Odegaard of Madrid for example, at 16 he’s still young but you can see he’s a very good player,” he said. "He’s a great player, I think he’s a young boy, he can still grow.
“He has a good future ahead. We must give him time to learn, to take his best decisions. But I see a lot of potential in the player, he has got a good left foot.”
READ NEXT:
Stan Kroenke reaches £70m Arsenal agreement amid fresh Mykhaylo Mudryk transfer bid
Gabriel breaks silence on Newcastle penalty shout as Mikel Arteta makes Arsenal transfer promise
Every word Mikel Arteta said on referee, penalties, Arsenal transfers and Eddie Howe exchange
Gary Neville disagrees with Mikel Arteta on 'scandalous' penalty decisions in Arsenal draw
Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: The latest news, rumours and gossip from the Emirates Stadium
