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Martin Odegaard Signs for Arsenal in £34million Transfer

Arsenal has reached an agreement to sign Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid in a deal worth £30 million with potential add-ons rising to around £34 million.

The Norwegian midfielder will sign a four-year deal until 2025 with the club having an option to extend the deal for the fifth year.

Odegaard will complete his medical examination on Thursday hoping to make his debut for the ‘Gunners’ in the London derby against Chelsea on Sunday.

Regardless of the medicals, getting a UK work permit may postpone his debut.

The 22-year-old returned to Spain after his six-month loan deal spell with Arsenal last season. Odegaard made 20 appearances for the North London club scoring two goals.

He went through the training camp with Real under the new coach Carlo Ancelotti, but was not a part of the squad for the match against Alaves last weekend which ended with a 4-1 Real victory.

Ancelotti clearly stated that he will not count on the youngster for the season which meant that he is definitely on his way out from Real. The club even dropped his price from £51 million to £38 million.

Arsenal showed interest in Leicester City’s James Maddison and considered Lyon’s Houssem Aouar, but went back to Odegaard since he played well for them and showed interest to rejoin the team

Odegaard joined Real as a 17-year-old prospect in 2015 from his home club Strømsgodset. Despite his huge talent, he made only eight appearances for ‘Los Galacticos’.

The last four seasons Odegaard spent on loans in Heerenveen, Vitesse, Real Sociedad and finally Arsenal.

Odegaard made his debut for Norway in 2014 and has made 30 appearances for his country ever since. He was named a team captain in the friendlies played earlier this year.