Paul Scholes has suggested Arsenal must have made a serious signing in January to take Martin Odegaard to a different level.
Odegaard has been one in every of Arsenal’s best and most consistent players over the past 4 years however the 2024-25 campaign has proven to be a frustrating one for the Norwegian midfielder.
An injury sustained while on international duty ruled Odegaard out for over two months and he has struggled to consistently show his best form since that setback, scoring only one goal across 21 games.
The 26-year-old has, nevertheless, looked sharp in recent weeks, scoring in Arsenal’s Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb and in Sunday’s stunning 5-1 victory over Manchester City within the Premier League.
Manchester United legend Scholes, considered among the finest midfielders England has ever produced, believes Odegaard is ‘good’ but says he would profit from fiddling with a ‘a correct centre forward’.
Kai Havertz continues to blow cold and warm for the Gunners and Arsenal considered signing a brand new striker throughout the January transfer window, even failing with a move for Aston Villa and England star Ollie Watkins.
Arteta also expressed interest in signing Alexander Isak, Benjamin Sesko and Dusan Vlahovic, though Arsenal ultimately kept their powder dry until the summer.
But Scholes says Arsenal would profit from the addition of a proven goalscorer and says Gunners captain Odegaard particularly would have enjoyed fiddling with someone like Jhon Duran.
Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham were all linked with January moves for Duran before Al-Nassr got here in with an enormous £71m deal for the 21-year-old.
Scholes says long-term Arsenal goal Isak is one other player that will get more out of Odegaard, who only has two assists to this point this season, having recorded ten within the league last yr.
‘Imagine him with a centre forward, though. With a correct centre forward,’ Scholes said on The Overlap when discussing Odegaard’s form at Arsenal.
‘Martin Odegaard is an excellent player, he can put a ball anywhere he wants. He hasn’t got that in front of him, a No. 10 needs that in front of him.
‘I don’t think Kai Havertz is that kind of player, although he might make the odd run here and there.
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‘You’re considering Isak or Duran, the lad from Villa, if he had that in front of him, it makes him turn into a greater player as well because he’s move involved with goals.’
Havertz scored a much-needed goal within the victory over Man City but additionally missed an enormous probability to possibly remind Arsenal why they need a brand new striker this summer.
After all the club could argue they still have second-best attack within the Premier League when it comes to goals scored and have built an Arsenal team involved in its third successive title challenge.
Whether Arsenal are in a position to finally get their hands on the Premier League trophy stays to be seen, nevertheless, and Theo Walcott cannot see leaders Liverpool dropping off.
‘Arsenal needed to win [against Manchester City on Sunday] and put in a press release performance,’ the previous Gunners winger said on BBC’s Match of the Day 2.
‘Liverpool are, at this moment, playing at some level. It’s going to be closer than you’re thinking that but Liverpool, at this moment, I just don’t see them slipping up.’
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