Odegaard: I've felt at home here since day one

Martin Odegaard believes that the club’s current upward trajectory made the decision to sign a new contract a no-brainer, as he feels even better is to come in the coming years.

Our captain signed a new long-term to extend his stay in north London, having initially arrived from Real Madrid in January 2021 who signed him as a 17-year-old and loaned him out numerous times in the Netherlands and Spain.

That nomadic start to his career meant he hadn’t spent more than two successive seasons playing for the same club, but Martin feels all the better now he has laid down some roots in our corner of the capital. Last year’s Player of the Season is thriving in red and white, and he is looking forward to seeing what the future holds now he has committed his future to club.

Reflecting on the reasons why, he revealed: “I think there are a lot of things, but mainly what we’re doing as a club, I just want to be a part of that. I’m really excited for what’s to come, so it was an easy decision to stay here for longer.

“My story has been a bit different. I moved when I was 16 and then changed teams here and there on loan, so for me it’s been a key thing to find a place where I could really settle down. I've felt at home here since the first day; I just felt great. This is definitely my home, I’m so happy to be here and to sign a new deal.”

Martin netted his third goal of the campaign already when he completed the scoring against PSV Eindhoven on his Champions League debut for the club on Wednesday night, in our first game in the competition for six years.

Our return to the top tier of European football is another indicator of the progress Martin mentions, and the ability to showcase his skills on club football’s biggest stage as he and the team challenge themselves against the best were additional factors as to why he inked a new deal.

“That’s where we want to be, that’s where Arsenal should be – at the biggest stage, playing the biggest games against the biggest teams and fighting to win trophies,” he added. “It’s a massive boost for everyone to play those games and it will help us grow a team. It’s something that we’re going to enjoy a lot.

“I enjoy a little pressure that you have to perform, and people expect you to do well, I think it’s a good thing. But it’s important to stay focused on the right things. For us, the main thing is just to focus on how we can improve as a team, take new steps all the time, and push each other every day in training to get a little bit better.”

Watch Martin’s full interview with with Arsenal-supporting journalist Clive Palmer, including how he has found being captain and the energy he receives from our supporters, by pressing play above.