Not made for Real Madrid but Martin Ødegaard is little short of a dreamer, who has embrace the chance to dream again at the Emirates

Following a first full season in the English Premier League, which finished with Arsenal narrowly missing out on a top four place, Martin Ødegaard showed he still behold the class that made Real sign him as a 16-year-old teenager.

The Norwegian was voted the club's second best player of the season behind Bukayo Saka and he has already become an endearing character amongst Gooners around the Emirates.

Deftness of touches, slick controls and expertly dictating Arsenal's attack with his quality of retaining the ball in tight spaces, Ødegaard was at the heart of everything good in the Arsenal attack last season.

Though the numbers of assists and goals did not speak much of the 23-year-old's performance in general as the lack of clinic strikers saw many of the chances squandered.

Only Bruno Fernandes created more chances from open play in the Premier League last season than Ødegaard. When on form, he makes the Arsenal attack almost unplayable and it is understandable why Arteta has shown a lot of faith in him.

An international captain at 23, Ødegaard is also seen as a player that could lead Arsenal in the coming years and was a regular captain for the club in the later stages of last season after Alexandre Lacazette dropped out of the starting XI.

It is also widely reported that Ødegaard will be permanently handed the armband to become the captain starting next season.

His role in the team is significant and he is fastly developing into the player Real Madrid anticipated when they signed him up from Strømsgodset in 2015.

Martin Ødegaard expressed his desire to play in a project where he is considered unexpendable but Real Madrid could not give him that even after returning to the Bernabéu on the back of a stellar season with Real Sociedad, where he was named in the La Liga team of the season.

His time with Madrid coincides with the prime of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, which made it even more difficult for him.

Real Madrid had hoped Ødegaard will comprehend the situation, but a much younger player but a player that has featured regularly on loan, becoming arguably the best player of each of the team he has played, it is very difficult to play second fiddle.

With Los Blancos also constantly changing managers, he might be at risk of becoming surplus to requirements without game time when his supposed time eventually comes and a new manager has assumed the reigns.

Mikel Arteta and Arsenal showed fate in him following the loan spell in the second half of the 2020/21 season and decided to bring him back to the Emirates on permanent. The move so far has been one that has uplifted the club.

Despite Arsenal's poor start to the season and the unfortunate injuries in the later stages, the youngest squad in the Premier League gave the fight but it wasn't meant to be as Tottenham Hotspur beat them to UEFA Champions League qualification late on.

A return to Europe will see Ødegaard continue to make his name heard. Though Arsenal would have preferred a more elite European competition but the Europa League still give her young players the platform to express themselves.

With Arsenal also working on improving both quality and quantity of players in the squad this summer, this will afford Ødegaard more rests when needed, different from last season where he was almost burned out.

Moreso, with quality players also coming in, he will be surrounded with better players, which in turn brings makes him even better.

The addition of a good striker will also be good news for Ødegaard, who will need a clinical one to put his chances away and an improved midfield will help them control possession more.

Gabriel Jesus is the name top on the list right now and even the Brazilian will relish playing alongside the Norwegian wizard, who has what it takes to make up for the creativity enjoyed by the striker at Manchester City.

A more productive season is anticipated for Martin Ødegaard and if he can do so much just to match his performances last season, the new season will be much better for him given the quality to expect at the Emirates.

The Santiago Bernabéu might not be the place where he eventually live the dream but Ødegaard is no short of a dreamer, and the Emirates, he is making his Dreamland.

Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi