Mikel Arteta says Martin Odegaard will score 15 goals as soon as he starts doing one thing at Arsenal

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has backed Martin Odegaard to score even more goals for the side in the coming weeks, months and years.

The playmaker has come under scrutiny at times this season for his lack of goal involvement in the final third.

In the Premier League, the club captain has just one goal and three assists in 15 appearances, though he has faced a stop-start season.

Injuries have played a key role in Odegaard’s difficulty to string together performances, with a two-month lay-off coming as a serious blow.

His return to the side has come in for particular criticism when breaking down low blocks, though it’s something Mikel Arteta seems to be working on at Arsenal.

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Mikel Arteta backs Martin Odegaard to score more goals for Arsenal

With Arsenal in need of some creativity and goals from open-play, plenty of responsibility has fallen on the shoulder of the club captain.

Jamie Carragher criticised Odegaard for not getting close enough to pockets of space to help open up the opposition.

With the need for more goals, Arteta spoke to the press about the impact of the playmaker and how he can improve.

“He used to play very far from the area,” the manager said. “I have tried to bring him closer.

“My challenge is that he loves it. The day he does that, we will see 15 goals in the Premier League.”

It suggests that a lot more is to come from Odegaard, who is looking to improve even further as he starts to enter the peak years of his career.

The 26-year-old could benefit further from some help in the transfer market though, but not in the areas many would expect.

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Martin Zubimendi transfer could unlock Martin Odegaard

One thing that Odegaard struggles with on occasion is dropping too deep, often looking to receive the ball in deeper areas.

This is often down to the midfield, with the current options perhaps lacking in the ability to receive the ball on the half turn.

That, naturally, forces Odegaard to drop further away from the area to help tick possession along at some moments.

With a transfer for Martin Zubimendi, that could all change though, with the midfielder often showing an ability to receive from deep and act as a metronome in possession.

That, in turn, will push Odegaard to have a bigger impact further up the pitch and could help all of the pieces click into place in the attacking third.