"He needs to come to us" - Martin Odegaard urges 21-year-old superstar to join Arsenal
Arsenal playmaker Martin Odegaard has urged his international teammate Erling Haaland to join the Gunners if he decides to come to the Premier League.
The Norway captain jokingly said the following on YouTube channel Stadium Astro (via The Boot Room):
“He’s a funny guy, he’s a good guy and a good friend of mine. A great player of course. We will see what he will do, but if he’s coming to England he needs to come to us, of course."
Erling Haaland has had an excellent season with Borussia Dortmund, scoring a plethora of goals. The 21-year-old forward has netted 25 goals and provided eight assists in 27 appearances for the Bundesliga outfit across all competitions.
@stadiumastro
Martin Ødegaard on Erling Haaland:
"We'll see what he will do, I don't know. If he is coming to England, he needs to come to us of course." 🇳🇴 @stadiumastro https://t.co/jBGrpm7uTj
Haaland is currently one of the most in-demand forwards across Europe. According to the Daily Mail, the Norwegian international has a £63 million release clause activated this summer. Despite having various suitors, Manchester City are expected to be leading the race to secure Haaland's services ahead of the new season.
According to the aforementioned source, Manchester City and Haaland have agreed upon a £500,000 per week wage. This could make the young forward the highest-paid player in the Premier League.
Despite it sounding highly unlikely, Erling Haaland could be a great addition to Arsenal's squad under Mikel Arteta. The Spanish tactician is building a young squad for the future. Last summer, the Gunners signed several young players like Ben White, Martin Odegaard and Aaron Ramsdale to rebuild their squad.
It is worth mentioning that Arsenal are also in dire need of a new forward for next season. The Gunners do not have a reliable source of goals following the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Barcelona in the summer.
Arsenal are leading the top-four race in the Premier League
As things stand, Arsenal are leading the race to secure fourth spot in the Premier League. This would see the Gunners book a place in the UEFA Champions League for next season for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
Mikel Arteta's side are currently fourth in the standings, having amassed 60 points from 33 matches. They recently secured wins against both Chelsea and Manchester United in consecutive games to cement their stronghold on the fourth spot.
Arsenal are currently two points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur. They are also six points ahead of sixth-placed Manchester United and do have a game in hand over the Red Devils.
The race for Top Four. 🍿 #afc https://t.co/CjYtfAfhja
Securing a top-four berth is vital for the north London club heading into the new season. Having Champions League football would help Mikel Arteta's side attract better quality players as they look to remain competitive in the Premier League.