Martin Odegaard: “My expectations for myself are higher than anybody else”

Martin Odegaard is enjoying life in London. The Norwegian has found the opportunities that he yearned for in Madrid. He has developed a strong relationship with Arsenal coach, Mikel Arteta and settled into life in England and the Premier League with relative ease. In an interview with BT Sport, Odegaard spoke about his move to Madrid at 16-years-old and how he is getting along with his new Arsenal teammates.

“It was a bit crazy, to be honest...” Odegaard revealed. “I didn’t realize it at the time because I was so young. But when you have Real Madrid after you, there is always a great desire.” Now at 22-years-old, Odegaard can look back and marvel at his early beginnings in the Spanish capital. As a teenager, he was training alongside the likes of Sergio Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Karim Benzema.

Odegaard went on to recognize that arriving to a new club from Real Madrid means there are always great expectations of a player. “My expectations for myself are higher than anybody else. The difficult part is pleasing me. Of course, there are people that always put great expectations on Real Madrid players. That’s part of being associated with such an important team,” the Norwegian international explained.

The interview then transitioned to questions regarding Odegaard’s time at Arsenal with Mikel Arteta and his new teammates. Martin was full of praise for his new coach, “Arteta is a very intelligent person. I am very happy to be here, I have a lot to learn from this coach. The club is growing and I think that Arsenal will return to the top very soon”.

As is so often the case, Odegaard was asked about his future and if a permanent move to Arsenal was on the cards. “You never know what could happen,” Odegaard told BT Sport. “For now, I am concentrated in giving the best version of myself for the rest of the season and helping the team in any way possible.”

In regards to his adaptation to the Premier League and to Arsenal, Odegaard was up beat. “I think I have adapted well to the team and the league. My teammates treat me really well and have helped me from the first minute. I feel comfortable and I feel like a part of the team, it’s all been very easy to join this team, I am honored to be here and form as part of this group,” Odegaard concluded.

It’s clear Odegaard is comfortable in his new surroundings and has formed a positive relationship with Mikel Arteta. A big decision awaits the Norwegian in the summer. Does he stay and fight to achieve his Real Madrid dream or is the grass greener over in London with a prominent role already secured?