Mikel Arteta used three players’ names to convince Martin Odegaard to join Arsenal, then he sold one of them

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Martin Odegaard is one of the best signings Arsenal have made in recent years.

The Norway international initially joined the Gunners on loan from Real Madrid in January 2022. Then, in the following summer, that move was made permanent.

Odegaard cost Arsenal just £30 million, and that is one of the biggest bargains the North Londoners have pulled off over the last decade.

The story of how the midfielder was convinced is very interesting.

How Mikel Arteta convinced Martin Odegaard to join Arsenal

Odegaard was not short of options back in 2022 – before and after his loan spell.

Clubs in the Premier League, La Liga and elsewhere were linked with a move to sign him, but Edu Gaspar and Mikel Arteta managed to bring him to the Emirates.

That proved to be a fantastic decision as Odegaard has been rated as Arsenal’s MVP for his performances in the famous red and white in recent years.

So, how did Arsenal convince Odegaard to join them?

The Norwegian himself revealed on The Players’ Tribune in 2023 that it was a chat with Arteta that convinced him to become a Gunner.

Odegaard revealed that Arteta told him about three players to persuade him to join Arsenal – Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and former Gunner Emile Smith Rowe.

He said: “I spoke to Mikel Arteta on a Zoom call and he told me all about the project. At the time, Arsenal were not doing well. They were way down like 15th in the table, but that meeting… Honestly, I challenge anyone to come away from a meeting with Arteta and not believe everything he tells you.

“He is next level. It’s hard to explain. He’s passionate, he’s intense and sometimes, yeah, he’s a bit crazy … but when he speaks, you understand that whatever he says will happen, will happen. He told me his plan, everything he was building towards. He knew exactly what needed to change at the club.

“He told me all about these amazing young players in the squad — Saka, Martinelli, Smith Rowe, etc., etc. He told me how he wanted me to fit in and how I was going to improve.

“I got this strong feeling that he was onto something really special.”

Why did Arsenal sell Emile Smith Rowe?

Smith Rowe played a massive part in saving Arteta’s job at Arsenal.

The Englishman changed everything when he was given an opportunity against Chelsea a few years ago, and his performances definitely kept Arteta at the helm.

However, after two troubled years due to injuries, Arteta and Smith Rowe both had a decision to make, and because the latter wanted regular game time, the Spaniard decided to let him go.

Arteta said about Smith Rowe in December 2024: “It was a very tough decision to let Emile go, especially because, personally, I feel very grateful for what he did for the club and for me in a period of time where I think he was instrumental to change something around us.

“But, at the end, players have to play. He had a lot of difficult moments as well, a lot of struggles due to injuries when we were together. He needed a fresh start.

“It’s normal, we understood that, and we allowed him to go.”