Martin Odegaard once trained with Liverpool for three days - what happened next? | OneFootball

Highlights

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has been a fine servant for Mikel Arteta and his entourage since joining in the summer of 2021. The 53-cap Norway international had spent the second half of the previous on loan at the north Londoners and made such an impression that Arteta just had to make the deal permanent.

Odegaard, now 24, signed on the dotted line and has been a catalyst for much of their success since, registering 26 goals and 15 assists in 111 outings. But it’s not just his exploits in front of goal that make him an immovable object in the Arsenal set up; his leadership, effortless technique and varied range of passing is what separates him from the rest.

His current employers named him club captain following Alexandre Lacazette’s departure, despite the Frenchman just standing in on a temporary basis. Already captain on Norway, it’s clear that, despite his tender age, the midfield magician has what it takes to lead a team to triumph.

Time after time, Arteta has been front and centre of the praise thrown in Odegaard’s direction but especially for his development as a goalscorer and leader last season. The Spaniard said (via BBC Sport): “Those are the demands he puts on himself and the areas he had huge margins to improve. He is making huge steps in the right direction to become a game-winner.”

There was a time, however, where a switch to Arsenal’s Premier League rivals Liverpool was on the cards, especially as he was snapped training with the senior squad amid heaps of speculation. Not only that but the Merseysiders had been dubbed as his ‘dream club’. What could’ve been, eh? Let’s delve into some of the finer details of the story.

Why did Martin Odegaard train with Liverpool?

Odegaard first rose to prominence when he became the first player to appear and score in the Norwegian Premier League for Stromsgodset. During his time at the club, he had scored five goals and recorded a further seven assists in 23 appearances, while Real Madrid chief Carlo Ancelotti has described him as a “kid with talent and personality”.

Before the Norwegian made his final decision of where he would next ply his trade, he took it upon himself to have a taster session at those clubs interested in his signature, with one of those being Liverpool. Premier League duo Manchester United and Arsenal were also among the clubs that Odegaard had trained with ahead of his high-profile switch. The Reds were believed to leading the chase for the wonderkid as he stepped foot onto Melwood to rub shoulders with the likes of Steven Gerrard and Philippe Coutinho. He was then invited back to have a guided tour of Anfield and Liverpool city centre while the rest of the squad were enjoying a rest day.

Turning away the chance to play for his boyhood side would not have been a simple decision for a young player to make, but he did make it abundantly clear that his decision would be solely based on what was right for his career at that point in time.

Speaking to Sport Bild (via Liverpool Echo), he said: “Liverpool have always been my dream club, but I will not let this affect my decision when I choose a new club. It’s all about finding the team that is best for me and for my development. That is not necessarily Liverpool. I haven’t really thought about my future yet. I will end the season here and then visit a number of clubs. I have not made a final decision yet, though, Of course, it’s flattering when you hear that big clubs are after you, but I don’t think about it too often.

Why Martin Odegaard snubbed Liverpool for Real Madrid

In 2014, Odegaard was regarded as hot property. The then 15-year-old became the youngest player to feature in a European Qualifier as he played against Bulgaria late that year. The Anfield-based outfit were among that host of clubs keeping tabs on the seriously impressive starlet back but were eventually gazumped by Real Madrid. A teenager at the time, Odegaard penned a deal believed to be worth £2.3m as he said that the move to Madrid was his best opportunity to “develop as a footballer”.

The Arsenal star spoke to The Players Tribune to explain the decision and what the cutting-edge factors were over why he snubbed Liverpool to sign for the European giants instead.

“So, why Real Madrid then? I talked about it a lot with my dad and the rest of my family. In the end, Madrid is Madrid,” he said. “They were the Champions League holders with the best players in the world. Back then, I loved Isco – he was so smooth on the ball. Another one of my kind of players! But the really key thing about Madrid’s offer was that they had a B team where I could play competitive football immediately. And the manager of that team? Zinedine Zidane. It felt like the total package.”

At the back end of the winter transfer window, a fresh-faced Odegaard arrived at the shores of Madrid, a club he eventually went on to make 11 senior appearances for. During his six-year stay in Madrid, he endured loan spells in Holland with Heerenveen and Vitesse before spending some time at Real Sociedad on loan. Although his career appeared to have become stagnant at the Spanish heavyweights, he has come into his own since moving to Arsenal. He spearheaded them to a respectable second place finish in the Premier League in 2022/23 and – at times – looked primed to finish as victors.

Eventually finishing five off the pace was not on the agenda, but the talismanic Norwegian, alongside his teammates, will look to better their chances this time around. Arteta’s high-flying outfit have hit the ground running since the new campaign got underway and have amassed 13 points from a possible 15, dropping points in a 2-2 draw with Fulham. Next on Odegaard’s plate is guiding Arsenal to a win against PSV Eindhoven as the Gunners return to Champions League action since the 2016/17 season.