Pep Guardiola shares his thoughts on Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard

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Pep Guardiola has shared his verdict on Arsenal star Martin Odegaard.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has heaped praise on Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard.

Odegaard recently signed a new long-term contract with the Gunners. The Arsenal club captain is a key figure at Arsenal, and Mikel Arteta will be delighted that he has committed his future to the club.

The Norwegian playmaker’s reputation is on the rise, as he has started the new season in scintillating form, picking up from where he left off last time out. He has already found the back of the net three times in the current campaign. Last season, the 24-year-old contributed fifteen goals and eight assists. 

Odegaard’s influence extends far beyond a contribution that can be recorded in numbers though. The Arsenal club captain is a true leader on the pitch, ensuring Arteta’s tactical demands are carried out, as he instructs and directs his teammates within matches.

The £30 million star will be expected to lead by example once again when Arsenal host bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium this afternoon. Odegaard certainly has the capacity impose himself on the game and produce a match-winning moment of magic.

Odegaard raising Arsenal’s level

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville recently claimed that if Guardiola could sign one Arsenal player at Manchester City, he would choose Odegaard.

Guardiola was recently asked about this and said, as quoted by HaytersTV, “he’s an exceptional player! Exceptional! His talent’s really good. He became the captain because also – on and off the pitch – he’s really well, he has consistency – playing a lot of games. He suits perfect for the idea for Mikel and Arsenal. He’s a really, really good player!”

There was once a time when a player like Odegaard heading Manchester City would have felt somewhat inevitable. Some of Arsenal’s best players have previously trodden that path, with the likes of Samir Nasri and Bacary Sagna, amongst others, having made the switch.

These days, though, Arsenal look to be much more capable of holding on to their top talents and competing with Manchester City directly themselves. Odegaard has been central to that recent rise in the Gunners’ standing in the game.