Martin Odegaard deal blocked, but Arsenal back-up target told he can leave
Real Madrid have blocked Martin Odegaard’s departure to Arsenal this summer because of doubts over Toni Kroos’ fitness, according to reports.
The Norway schemer was a big hit with the Gunners last season. The 22-year-old spent the second half of last season at Arsenal on loan and Mikel Arteta has previously admitted he would like to sign the midfielder once again.
Speaking at the start of the summer, Arteta said: “We have a very clear and strong opinion on what we would like to do. He’s not our player.
“We’ll have discussions in the next few weeks. But first of all we need to respect that he’s a Real Madrid player. We’ll have those communications.
“We’ve tried to make everything that we could to get Martin performing for the team, which I think he’s done, and he has adapted really well to our way of playing and to our football club.
“Hopefully we have given him the hope and the feeling that this could be a good place for him.”
That seems a distant prospect though with Real Madrid intent on keeping Odegaard.
The appointment of Carlo Ancelotti complicated the player’s future further, but now the injury problems surrounding Kroos have apparently put paid to Odegaard leaving.
AS claim that the exit doors for Odegaard and fellow ex-Arsenal loanee Dani Ceballos have been closed thanks to Kroos’ injury issues.
With less than two weeks away from the start of the new LaLiga season, Kroos has decided to rest a groin tear and is expected to miss around a month of action.
Arsenal though remain in the market for a more attacking midfielder after landing Ben White.
Leicester City star James Maddison is firmly on their radar. But despite his apparent willingness to move south, Leicester are in no rush to sell and the England hopeful’s price tag could hit £70m.
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Houssem Aouar interest
Another man who has been linked with the club is Houssem Aouar.
Get French Football News say Aouar has no intention of being part of new manager Peter Bosz’s squad this coming season.
Bosz in fact admitted that Aouar will be allowed to leave if the right offer comes in this month.
“Aouar? He can leave, this is modern football. Up until the last moment, he can leave,” Bosz told French outlet butfootball.fr.
The France international will cost around €25m, with The Sun claiming talks have taken place in the last few weeks.
Aouar’s representatives are pushing for a move to The Emirates, per the report. But with Arsenal seemingly favouring a move for Maddison any move for Aouar, whose contract expires in 2023, has stalled.
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