Where will Martin Odegaard play at Arsenal?

Martin Odegaard will arrive at Arsenal hungry for playing time given he’s played just 367 minutes all season under Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid.

The Norwegian was a direct request of coach Mikel Arteta. He’s already in London and is said to have passed his medical. The big question, however, is where will he play?

Marca have broken it down into three options. Odegaard could play as the playmaker in a 4-2-3-1, his natural position. It’s the formation Arteta has preferred since taking over at Arsenal and given Mesut Ozil‘s departure there’s a clear space for him, especially when you consider it’s where he thrived at Real Sociedad under Imanol Alguacil.

He could also play as an advanced central midfielder in a 4-3-3, the position many thought he’d play at Madrid only to see his path blocked by Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. This position would also put him in direct competition with Dani Ceballos, another Madrid player on loan at Arsenal. Odegaard has also shown a willingness to work hard and assume defensive responsibility.

The third position would be as a wide player in a 3-4-3. It’s not an unknown role for Odegaard, and it’s the second-most used system by Arteta. If he did play there, the Norwegian has always shown a preference to play on the right to cut inside on his left, freeing the channels for a marauding full-back.

Tags La Liga Martin Odegaard Real Madrid
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