Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Football London
Football London
Sport
Tom Canton

Martin Odegaard readies himself for Arsenal captaincy after making competitive Aubameyang claim

The decision for who will become Arsenal captain continues to be a discussion that rages between supporters with many candidates staking a claim for the honour.

The 2-1 Arsenal win over Brentford saw what many felt was a controversial denial by Granit Xhaka of the armband when in reality the Swiss midfielder was simply asking not to be distracted during the game before notifying Eddie Nketiah that Kieran Tierney was next in line.

This has been the biggest hint so far as to who will take on the mantle once Alexandre Lacazette leaves when his contract expires at the end of the Premier League season.

However, another possibility is Martin Odegaard. Already the captain of his nation Norway, the 23-year-old attacking midfielder has become an integral part of the Arsenal team.

When he left the field against Wolves, his absence was immediately missed as the Gunners lost control of the ball and nearly the entire match after Gabriel Martinelli’s red card.

Asked whether he feels Odegaard could become captain, manager Mikel Arteta did not shy away from the possibility and even admitted speaking to the Norway manager about those specific qualities.

“He certainly has all the qualities to do that,” said Arteta. “Talking to his national team coach…how highly they speak of him.

“He walks through the corridor, and everybody loves him. He is such a nice, humble guy. He leads with the way he is and it is very natural for him, and that will come.”

Interestingly however is what Odegaard has said recently about Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s departure.

The former Arsenal captain saw the armband stripped from him after another disciplinary breach eventually leading to his exit on a free transfer this winter to Barcelona.

Odegaard was asked about this and whilst admitted it was difficult to see Aubameyang leave, quickly switched focus to the emphasis being with the players that are still at the club.

"I think it is always sad when players leave the club but that is up to the manager and the club to do those kinds of things," he said.

"Then we have to focus on the players that are here, and I think we have a strong group and an interesting team. We need to focus on the players that are here and keep on improving and using our qualities."

Odegaard’s comments show the mentality of a player who puts Arsenal at the forefront of his thinking and clearly wants to see the group of players around him succeed.

The goal this season is to qualify for the Champions League and Odegaard looks to be one of the first names on the Arsenal team sheet.

Arsenal play Wolves on Thursday and the Gunners supporters should be hoping not to see the substitution board display the number eight with the threat of seeing another loss of control like in the reverse fixture.

Whether Odegaard becomes captain next season remains a possibility but an unlikely one with the focus firmly with Tierney as of the Brentford scenario. Yet having more than just the armband wearer as a leader in the group will be pivotal to Arsenal’s future success.

Make sure you have subscribed to The Arsenal Way! The Fan Brands team along with plenty of your football.london favourites will be producing daily Arsenal content for you to enjoy including match reactions, podcasts, football fun and interviews. You can follow Tom Canton from the TAW team to keep up to date with his work.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.