Rio Ferdinand believes Martin Odegaard will be a “different” player this season for Arsenal and is worried that being named captain could weigh heavy on the playmaker's shoulders.
Odegaard was made Arsenal captain by Mikel Arteta on July 30. The Norwegian has inherited the captaincy following a rocky period in its history, which has seen both Granit Xhaka and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang stripped of the armband.
Xhaka was demoted by Unai Emery following a public spat with the club’s fans, while Aubameyang lost the captaincy after falling out with Arteta by breaking some team rules. The striker was frozen out of the side and then permitted to join Barcelona on a free transfer in January. Odegaard takes the armband from Alexandre Lacazette, who left for Lyon in the summer when his contract expired.
Odegaard only signed permanently for Arsenal last summer after a loan spell from Real Madrid, but has been Norway captain since March 2021. But former Manchester United defender Ferdinand thinks his performances could be negatively affected by the added responsibility of leadership.
Responding to a point from a fellow pundit about something he’d previously said on his Vibe with Five YouTube show, Ferdinand said: “Yep! [The captain’s armband weighs] heavy! I said that in the group chat. It could be a different Odegaard this year.”
Odegaard has contributed nine goals and seven assists in 61 games for Arsenal so far since joining from Real Madrid on loan in January 2021. The 23-year-old played the vast majority of Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Crystal Palace on the opening day of the Premier League on Friday and looks set to have an important role in Arteta’s side this season.
Ferdinand’s concerns are not just limited to the Norwegian’s output. The former centre-back is also more broadly worried about the make-up of Arsenal’s midfield, which was comprised of Odegaard, Xhaka and Thomas Partey at Selhurst Park.
“I just worry about your central midfield,” Ferdinand said to his Arsenal-supporting co-host. “Xhaka hasn’t shown that he can be relied upon for long periods consistently. Partey, is he going to be fit? Is he going to be there in that sense?”
HAVE YOUR SAY! Is Rio Ferdinand right to be concerned about Arsenal's midfield? Comment below.
Arsenal are understood to be keen to address some of the issues Ferdinand has outlined. Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans is a long-standing transfer target, while recent reports have also seen them linked with Lens star Seko Fofana and AC Milan’s Sandro Tonali.
Tielemans is in the last year of his Leicester contract and is reluctant to sign a new one. Leicester are understood to value him at around £30million.
“There is that possibility but there has not been anything for him, we haven’t had any approaches to the club yet on that,” manager Brendan Rodgers said when asked about the prospect of Tielemans leaving the club. “Of course it is in the back of the mind, that sort of what-if scenario, but he doesn’t want anything to drag on either.”
