Mikel Arteta has discussed Martin Odegaard’s development at Arsenal this season and has praised the midfielder’s ‘unique’ leadership of the side.
Odegaard has had a fantastic season to emerge as one of the Premier League’s leading talents, with the Gunners’ captain having scored 15 goals and laid on seven assists in 34 league appearances.
The Norway international has kept alive Arsenal’s title challenge with crucial goals in wins over Chelsea and Newcastle in recent weeks and has now scored five goals in his last five appearances.
Arteta opened up on the development of the 24-year-old this season and said Odegaard has evolved into a ‘game winner’.
“He had huge margins to improve and is taking steps in the right direction to become a game winner,” Arteta said at his pre-match press conference ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Brighton this weekend.
“He has [the ability], with his profile and the way he is within the team, to do that. You need really good team-mates around you, which he has, to be able to do that.”
Arteta named Odegaard as club captain following Alexandre Lacazette’s departure last summer and believes the midfielder is a figure who commands respect at the Emirates.
“He has this character that everybody respects, admires and follows. He does it in his own way. There are many ways of leading the team and he has a unique one because it is his own one. We don’t want to take anything from that. We are really happy that he represents the club in the way that he does.”
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