Valdano: “Odegaard should only go back to Real Madrid if he is going to be a starter”

Jorge Valdano, the former player, coach, and sporting director at Real Madrid, has suggested that Odegaard would be better off if he were to remain at Real Sociedad for two seasons. The Argentine spoke to Spanish radio, Onda Cero, and reiterated his belief that the Norwegian could jeopardize his steady development if he rushed back to Madrid too soon.

Valdano’s thoughts come after Martin scored in the Santiango Bernabeu to help eliminate his parent club out of the Copa del Rey. Valdano explained his reasoning: “It wouldn’t be a bad idea for him to stay at Real Sociedad for another year. He should only go back to Madrid if he’s going to be a regular starter - he shouldn’t go back just to see what happens. At the end of the day, that would only serve to stunt the progress of a player like him.”

MARCA’s Carlos Carpio today wrote a piece insisting that Odegaard’s future should not be tied to Luka Modric’s and that the young star should return this summer to Real Madrid and have prominent role, much like Fede Valverde. Despite the constant noise, there likely will not be any resolution to the Odegaard question until the end of the current season.