{"id":317652,"date":"2026-04-12T20:49:48","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T15:19:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=317652"},"modified":"2026-04-12T20:49:49","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T15:19:49","slug":"arsenal-transfer-stance-on-30million-star-who-the-team-has-missed-a-lot-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/12\/arsenal-transfer-stance-on-30million-star-who-the-team-has-missed-a-lot-football\/","title":{"rendered":"Arsenal transfer stance on \u00a330million star who &#8216;the team has missed a lot&#8217; | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<\/div><figcaption>Mikel Arteta has been without his captain Martin Odegaard for much of the season (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Martin Odegaard stays a part of Mikel Arteta\u2019s plans despite the injury problems which have restricted him to a bit-part role this season. <\/p>\n<p>The club captain has been a driving force behind the development the Gunners have made under Arteta\u2019s management.<\/p>\n<p>Odegaard\u2019s seniority and importance was underlined when he was handed the captaincy in the summertime of 2022 but his influence has been on the wane following the ankle injury he sustained playing for Norway last season. <\/p>\n<p>The 27-year-old has struggled to take care of his fitness ever since undergoing surgery and has been restricted to creating just 29 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal this season and only 4 since February. <\/p>\n<p>Odegaard\u2019s latest attempt at a comeback lasted lower than two games after he was substituted during Tuesday\u2019s win over Sporting Lisbon and was unavailable for selection against Bournemouth yesterday. <\/p>\n<p>With two years left on his current contract, Arsenal are more likely to make a call imminently on whether to increase or entertain offers for a player who cost them \u00a330million when he joined from Real Madrid, after an initial six-month loan, back in 2021.<\/p>\n<p>The signing of Eberechi Eze in the summertime appeared to herald a possible changing of the guard in Arsenal\u2019s key playmaking role, while children Ethan Nwaneri, currently on loan at Marseille, and Max Dowman are more likely to all vie for that position in the approaching years. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"594\" height=\"423\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2270763417.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=594\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27948065\" alt=\"Sporting Clube de Portugal v Arsenal FC - UEFA Champions League 2025\/26 Quarter-Final First Leg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Martin Odegaard is injured again and missed Saturday\u2019s defeat against Bournemouth (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In keeping with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/sport\/football\/article-15722619\/Martin-Odegaard-Arsenal-Arteta-Eze.html\">Each day Mail<\/a>, nevertheless, Odegaard still retains the religion of Arteta and despite his inactivity on the pitch has still been playing a hugely influential role behind the scenes.<\/p>\n<p>A source is reported as saying: \u2018The team has missed him a lot for what he brings,\u2019 he said. \u2018There\u2019s some things which are probably unnoticed to the general public\u2026 it\u2019s profound inside the team and the identity of this team.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018So, we&#8217;d like him at his best. We&#8217;d like him always with us because we&#8217;re a a lot better team when Martin is in and across the team.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Each Arteta and Odegaard may have a job on their hands, meanwhile, to lift spirits after a defeat against the Cherries that has blown the title race wide open. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"594\" height=\"396\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2270297212.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=594\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27948155\" alt=\"FBL-ENG-PR-ARSENAL-BOURNEMOUTH\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Eberechi Eze was signed in the summertime to offer Martin Odegaard with competition (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2018It\u2019s a giant punch within the face, and intensely disappointing,\u2019 said Arteta. \u201cThat\u2019s what I said to the boys.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018There aren&#8217;t any grey areas. Today there have been some very staple items that we did extremely badly. If you try this, they\u2019re going to capitalise, and it becomes very chaotic and really difficult to manage.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018We&#8217;ve got to have a look at ourselves. We&#8217;ve got to suffer. It\u2019s painful. It\u2019s a terrible feeling. But tomorrow is a unique day. And if anyone would have said to me in August, we&#8217;re on this position straight away in April, I\u2019m sure we might all have taken it.\u2019<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"594\" height=\"396\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2270973745.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=594\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27948157\" alt=\"Arsenal v Bournemouth - Premier League\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Max Dowman could play a more central role in years to return at Arsenal (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Arsenal have finished runners-up for the past three seasons, and their latest defeat not only hands the championship momentum to City, but again raises serious questions on their title-winning mentality.<\/p>\n<p>The 2 rivals meet on the Etihad Stadium next Sunday, and may Pep Guardiola\u2019s side triumph in that match, see off Chelsea on Sunday, and in addition beat Burnley on April 22 they might be level on points with the Gunners with five games remaining.<\/p>\n<p>But Arteta, who was without Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori through injury on Saturday, said: \u2018We will\u2019t control that. 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wouldn't be drawn on specifics and errors but apologised to the supporters.\",\"title\":\"'Big punch on the face': Mikel Arteta reacts to defeat against Bournemouth at home\",\"videoId\":3634117}\" preload=\"metadata\" playsinline=\"\"><source src=\"https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2026\/04\/11\/6955719955254787042\/480x270_MP4_6955719955254787042.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"><\/source><\/p>\n<p class=\"vjs-no-js\">To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to an internet<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbrowser that<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/videojs.com\/html5-video-support\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">supports HTML5<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvideo<\/a><\/p><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u2018Anything that is claimed when you will have a defeat at home, you will have to just accept that. There aren&#8217;t any excuses. It\u2019s about how we\u2019re going to arise, initially, individually, after which as a team to alter that immediately on Wednesday (against Sporting within the second leg).<\/p>\n<p>\u2018So, we&#8217;d like all the pieces. We&#8217;d like everybody fit and available. Those that weren&#8217;t involved today are really big, essential players, and we&#8217;d like them immediately with us because then we\u2019re going to be much stronger.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018After which the opposite ones, they should arise. Me, being the primary one, and embrace this challenge and go for it.\u2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"><\/use><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Viktor Gyokeres slammed for \u2018ridiculous\u2019 and \u2018weak excuse\u2019 for Arsenal loss<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"><\/use><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Danny Murphy responds to Viktor Gyokeres excuse and divulges huge Arsenal mistake<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"><\/use><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Arsenal make Mikel Arteta sack decision and select \u2018ideal substitute\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"share-buttons-bottom\" class=\"share-buttons share-buttons-bottom\"><a class=\"metro-button share-bar-comments\" data-vars-position=\"bottom\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Comment now<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-comment\" href=\"#social-comment\"><\/use><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-comments__label\">Comments<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-preferred-source\" href=\"#social-preferred-source\"><\/use><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-preferred-source__label\">Add as preferred source<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/section>\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card accent--sport\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card__inner\">\n<h4>Football Newsletter \u2013 In The Mixer<\/h4>\n<p>Punchy evaluation, transfer talk and more from Metro&#8217;s football experts, sent straight to your inbox every week.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mikel Arteta has been without his captain Martin Odegaard for much of the season (Picture: Getty) Martin Odegaard stays a part of Mikel Arteta\u2019s plans despite the injury problems which have restricted him to a bit-part role this season. The club captain has been a driving force behind the development the Gunners have made under [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":317653,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20686],"tags":[20607,2605,5479,4695,764,795,1008,3006],"class_list":["post-317652","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football","tag-30million","tag-arsenal","tag-football","tag-missed","tag-stance","tag-star","tag-team","tag-transfer"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317652","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=317652"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317652\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":317655,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317652\/revisions\/317655"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/317653"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=317652"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=317652"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=317652"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}