Martin Odegaard may have just embarrassed Ian Wright as Arsenal star ranks above transfer target he wants

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The 2024/25 campaign was a testing one for Martin Odegaard, making one recent ranking rather fascinating.

Just one month after the season started, Odegaard suffered an ankle injury on international duty, an accident that left him out of action for weeks.

Though Arsenal were delighted to have their captain back, the Norwegian found it difficult to build form, something that continued to the end of the season. 

Arsenal fans are losing faith in Odegaard, who frustrated on many occasions over the campaign, leading some to call for the skipper to be replaced.

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Martin Odegaard takes the crown as fourth-best 

Despite a dip in form, it’s understood that Arsenal aren’t concerned about Odegaard’s underwhelming season.

Mikel Arteta’s playmaker netted 15 goals in the 2022/23 Premier League campaign, a number that was reduced to eight the following year and again in 2024/25, as Odegaard found the net only three times in the league. 

Though the creator’s decline in the final third is there for all to see, that hasn’t changed how the Norway international is seen in the world rankings.

Many fans had a surprise when ESPN dropped their 2024-25 FC 100, position-by-position list. 

In the attacking midfielder rankings, Odegaard finished fourth, with only Jude Bellingham, Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz above the 26-year-old.

No Premier League player ranked higher than the Arsenal captain in the position, as Cole Palmer, Bruno Fernandes, Dominik Szoboszlai, Morgan Gibbs-White and Morgan Rogers finished lower in the top 15.

Arsenal target Morgan Rogers making the list was encouraging, but it wasn’t the main talking point from the rankings. 

Ian Wright wanted Bruno Fernandes at Arsenal 

Odegaard finished ahead of Fernandes, who recorded 20 more goal contributions than the Arsenal playmaker in 2024/25.

Fernandes’ form had Ian Wright dreaming of Arsenal having the Portugal international in their squad, which would see the Man United captain replace Odegaard.

Wright might be thinking differently now, as Odegaard finished two places above the United star in ESPN’s rankings, spinning a different narrative about how the 2024/25 calendar went for the two creators.

Though the placing will satisfy Odegaard, the midfielder will be eager to raise the bar significantly next term to get Arsenal closer to winning silverware, after what was an underwhelming season.