As Arsenal prepare to take on reigning champions, Real Madrid, in next month’s Champions League quarter-final clash, one man who will be itching to make an impact is Martin Odegaard.
The Gunners skipper made the move to the Emirates on an initial loan deal from the LaLiga giants back in January 2021, before Mikel Arteta and then-sporting director, Edu Gaspar, opted to fork out around £30m to make that move permanent ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.
Prior to that, the former teen wonderkid had never been able to make his mark at the Bernabeu, after signing on a high-profile deal as a 16-year-old back in 2015, having been restricted to just 11 first-team appearances for Los Blancos, without registering a goal or an assist.
Farmed out on loan to the likes of Heerenveen, Vitesse Arnhem and Real Sociedad before ultimately joining the Gunners just over four years ago, the Norwegian genius has finally found a settled home in north London, a point emphasised by his status as captain and by his current total of 73 goals and assists in 185 appearances.
Unequivocally, the signing of the 26-year-old – who is now worth £92m, according to Transfermarkt – has been a staggering success, marking himself out as one of the highlights of the Edu era.
Edu's best and worst signings at Arsenal
Arsenal’s Brazilian transfer chief made the shock decision to resign from his role at the club earlier in the campaign, with the 46-year-old reportedly set to link up with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis and oversee a raft of clubs owned by the Greek businessman.
The former Gunners midfielder has left behind a mixed legacy at the Emirates, in truth, having worked with Arteta to build a side capable of challenging for the Premier League crown, albeit with the north Londoners still yet to realise that aim.
Among the standout success stories for Edu following his arrival in 2019 is William Saliba, with the Frenchman snapped up in Edu’s first summer in charge, before ultimately forcing his way into Arteta’s plans ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.
The Brazilian was also the man at the helm when the Gunners forked out for Saliba’s current centre-back partner, Gabriel, with the duo now described as the “best partnership in Europe” by club legend, Martin Keown.
Edu can also be thanked for having made the bold decision to sign Kai Havertz from Chelsea, with the German shaking off a slow start to score 29 times since then in all competitions. The acquisition of Jurrien Timber from Ajax also stands out as “one of the best signings of the Emirates era”.
For all those success stories, there have been a fair few misfires, with Gabriel Jesus unable to have the desired effect since transferring from Manchester City, after scoring just 26 goals in 96 games to date.
Equally, £34.2m signing Fabio Vieira has already found himself back on loan at Porto, while the Gunners were stung by the £72m capture of Nicolas Pepe in that summer of 2019, with the Ivorian going on to score just 16 top-flight goals in the capital.
That high-profile blunder represented a real costly mistake for the north London side, although the club’s newest record arrival has enjoyed a far more fruitful stint so far.
Arsenal's best signing since Odegaard
For all Odegaard’s brilliance, the former Madrid man has endured a testing campaign to say the latest, having chalked up a measly total of two goals and four assists in the league thus far.
With the skipper struggling, the Gunners have had to look elsewhere for a shining example to lead the team. Enter, Declan Rice.
Described as an “incredible leader” in the side by podcaster Adam Keys following the weekend victory over Chelsea, the Englishman has emerged as a real pillar in Arteta’s team, since making his £105m move from West Ham United in 2023.
Stat
2023/24
2024/25
Games
38
27
Goals
7
2
Assists
8
5
Big chances created
9
15
Pass accuracy*
91%
90%
Key passes*
1.2
1.8
Tackles*
2.2
1.5
Interceptions*
1.2
0.7
Dribbled past*
0.7
0.7
Total duels won*
52%
52%
Aerial duels won*
46%
57%
Possession lost*
8.7
10.3
While such a mammoth price tag can so often burden a player, the Three Lions star has risen to the challenge, seemingly relishing his role in the centre of the park, be it as a number eight or as a number six.
A return of 13 goals and assists so far this term is encouraging considering Rice isn’t part of the club’s forward line, with pundit Jamie Carragher insisting that the one-time Chelsea youth star shouldn’t be judged solely on his attacking output, with his passing range also “vastly underrated”.
A real weapon with set-piece delivery – as shown in the fact that he ranks in the top 6% of European midfielders for assists per 90 – what also sets the ex-Hammers man apart is his ability to drive Arteta’s side forward with ease, as evidenced by the fact that he ranks in the top 5% for progressive carries per 90.
A carry is considered progressive if the ball is moved towards the opponent’s goal at least 10 yards from its starting point or is carried into the penalty area.
Not that he can’t also come up with the goods in the final third when needed, having notably fired in a stunning sweeping strike against Manchester United last weekend, to help rescue a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
It is for moments like that which illustrate Rice has swiftly paid back his hefty transfer fee, with it potentially there to be argued that Edu struck a bargain with the deal.
Indeed, David Moyes believes that the midfield maestro could have fetched at least £150m.
Of course, there may be more eye-catching figures in Arteta’s current crop, namely Bukayo Saka and Ethan Nwaneri, yet Rice is the glue holding it all together.
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