Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard has been compared to two Gunners legends amid his outstanding season.
Odegaard took over the Arsenal captaincy in the summer, following Alexandre Lacazette's departure from the Emirates Stadium. He has led the Gunners on a surprise Premier League title challenge, with Mikel Arteta 's men currently top of the division, five points clear of champions Manchester City.
The Norwegian has been a key player during the current campaign, starting all but one top-flight game, scoring seven goals and notching five assists in the process. It means that Odegaard has more than paid Arsenal back for the £30million they gave to Real Madrid to sign him.
His performances have also drawn admiring glances from former Arsenal players, many of whom have pinpointed him as Arteta's key man. Bacary Sagna has added his voice to those plaudits, going as far as to compare Odegaard to both Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie.
"I would love to play in this current squad because it reminds me of when I joined the club originally, but this team has more atmosphere with the fans with a full Emirates stadium every week," he told Midnite.
"Martin Odegaard reminds me of Cesc Fabregas, he has the same quality, but Odegaard also has the technique of Robin van Persie. The team is very good. The coach, the fans and the commitment of the players have been the reason for Arsenal's improvement from last season.
"The players' commitment is great, everything they do is for each other, the way they defend and attack together, they enjoy the football and play with a smile on their face. It's nice to see Arsenal back at their best.
"I love all the players. Martin Odegaard had so much expectation coming from the Real Madrid academy, no one expected them to do so well and have shown great maturity at a young age. They are strong on and off the pitch, the vibe in the squad is great."
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Those comments from Sagna only add to the feeling that Arteta made the right call in appointing Odegaard captain in the summer. His leadership of the Gunners' young squad has been exemplary during their successful campaign.
Fabregas, who himself captained Arsenal for three years from 2008 to 2011, has already had his say on Odegaard, echoing Sagna in hailing the Norwegian midfielder.
"I hope he will be crucial in a good way, because I like his style. I like his intelligence and how he moves to find these little pockets to make the difference. He's very tricky and a good eye for the ball," he told BT Sport in October.
"It's a lot of responsibility. He was 15 when he made his debut for Norway, he's the captain of Norway, now a very young captain for Arsenal. Not an easy task for him and he's responding very well.
"It reminds me a little bit of me when I took the armband at 21. It's not easy. It's a big, big club. Everyone wants results and today we expect a big performance from him and from the old team."
