I found my home at ‘special’ Arsenal says Martin Odegaard | OneFootball

In an interview with The Telegraph, Martin Odegaard, Arsenal’s club captain, shares his sense of belonging at the club and discusses the team’s aspirations for the future.

Club captain, Martin Odegaard, has opened up about his strong sense of belonging at the north London club in a recent interview after signing his new deal with Arsenal.

“I felt connected and at home here since the first day. I needed a place to settle down, to find a home. That is what I did here. AtArsenal, I have always had this special feeling,” Odegaard told The Daily Telegraph.

“In Madrid it was just a bit different,” he adds.

“I was very young. I was stuck between the first and second teams, then I was moving around on loans here and there. So I never really got the time to settle down.”

The Norwegian international, who recently signed a five-year contract with Arsenal, also reflected on the club’s progress and shared his optimism for the future.

“It shows what we are doing as a club,” Odegaard says about the number of contract renewals the club have announced recently.

“People want to be here as part of the project. What we are doing is really special and the players see what the manager wants to do, how the club is progressing, the connection we now have with the fans.

“It’s a no-brainer for players to be part of that.

“All the players want the same thing. They want to stay for a long time and fight for the club and win things together. I am sure we are just going to get better and better,” Odegaard added.

Odegaard spoke highly of new signing Declan Rice. “He has been brilliant since the first day,” he said.

“On the pitch you see his quality, what he brings to the team. The energy, the power. He is a great guy, a funny guy, and also a leader. He was captain at West Ham and, for me, it is nice to have someone like him around to help. We can help each other.”

Despite a promising last season, Odegaard acknowledges the increasing pressure for the team to convert their potential into tangible success.

“It’s a natural thing,” Odegaard says. “I personally enjoy that pressure. No matter the pressure from outside, I will always put more on myself. I think the team all enjoy the pressure.

“We want to be there, at the top, fighting to win things.”

Commenting on the impact of Mikel Arteta, Odegaard revealed his admiration for Arteta’s attention to detail. “He is capable of making you understand football in a different way,” says the 24-year-old.

“He sees so many details you don’t even think about. The way he explains it to you, it makes sense.”

As for the future, Odegaard is clear about his ambitions at the club. “Of course I am thinking about it,” he says about lifting a trophy.

“That is the big dream, the big goal, to win things. That is why I have signed, because I believe we can achieve some great things.”