Paul Merson has raised a surprising transfer theory, claiming Mikel Arteta will 'probably be thinking' about selling Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard. Odegaard became the first Arsenal captain since Patrick Vieira to lift the Premier League trophy as the Gunners clinched a long-awaited title last season. It was Odegaard who immediately called Arteta after Manchester City dropped points at Bournemouth to inform his manager that the title belonged to Arsenal.
Odegaard has been one of Arsenal's most important players during the Arteta era, making over 200 appearances for the club since his move from Real Madrid. However, injury issues meant Odegaard was only a bit-part player during Arsenal's title win, with the 27-year-old Norway international starting less than half of their Premier League games. Despite his absence, Arteta has repeatedly stressed the importance of Odegaard and started the midfielder in last month's Champions League final defeat to PSG.
Arsenal legend Merson has doubts over Odegaard's future at the Emirates Stadium, however, and believes he is a player the club could look to sell during the summer transfer window. 'It's madness for me to be saying this, but they probably will be thinking about that [selling Martin Odegaard],' Merson said on The Sports Agents. 'But for me, I still think there'll be teams queuing round the block for him... When you play in the position that Odegaard plays in, you're screaming out for pace up front. You have to have pace.'
Merson is not the first to question Odegaard's future at Arsenal. The Norwegian was urged to trigger a move himself earlier in the season by several pundits. Asked how Arteta should use Odegaard going forward, Liverpool legend Steve Nicol said on ESPN: 'Odegaard might be leaving Arsenal. If you're Odegaard, the club captain and 18 months ago you were the guy. All of a sudden – and I know he's had some injuries – but there's question marks over whether he actually starts because of Eze. And maybe because of the way he's been playing, someone else might get ahead of him as well. So if you're Martin Odegaard, do you stick around? I don't think you do.'
Frank Leboeuf added: 'I agree, I agree. I've always liked Martin Odegaard and the way he plays because he's very elegant, but he's not influential anymore. He's there to start the action, to distribute the ball horizontally. But with Eze right now the moves are not the same, he's more vertical, more influential and he's going to help [Viktor] Gyokeres too. So it will be a hard time for Odegaard and he will have to make a very good choice, a big choice, at the end of the season.'
Arsenal are believed to be open to offers for at least four members of their title-winning squad, with Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Ben White possibly leaving. Arteta is also looking to bolster his Arsenal squad with at least three major signings, with his focus on another striker and a left-winger. Whatever happens during the summer transfer window, Merson fully expects Arsenal to once again challenge for the title next season. 'I'd be shocked if Arsenal went away,' he added. 'I just think Arsenal are a proper solid, solid football team. They have solid seven, eight out of 10 players, week in, week out. Across the board, across the squad, players are sevens and eights every week.'
