Real Madrid's Martin Odegaard in Amsterdam finalising loan deal

Sorting out his immediate future

Real Madrid's 18-year-old wonder kid Martin Odegaard is reportedly in Amsterdam, close to signing with one of two interested Eredivisie clubs, report AS. Having made only two senior appearances for the club since signing in 2014, he’s in real need of game time. 

Odegaard signed for Real Madrid as a 16-year-old who showed the world the kind of promise we haven’t seen in a youngster in a long time. But with Real Madrid’s second team, Real Castilla, in the Spanish third division, he needed to move to a club worthy of giving him the platform to showcase his talents. 

Ajax Amsterdam are reportedly very interested in giving Odegaard a chance to play this season. They’re well renowned for their youth policy and feel the Norwegian will fit it well with the way the team plays: highly technical and on the counter. 

Peter Bosz is still imparting his own unique style of ‘total football’ into Ajax’s relatively young side and feels Odegaard’s close control and ability to find a pass will add to his squad’s strengths and will allow him to compete for the Eredivisie title this year. The Amsterdam club are currently second in the league, five points behind arch-rivals Feyenoord. 

Another club who’s willing to take Odegaard on loan is SC Heerenveen. Currently fourth on the Eredivisie table, they’re looking for young quick talents who could come in and have an immediate impact with their challenge for the title or worst case, the UEFA Champions League slots.

Zinedine Zidane hasn’t seen the need to bring Odegaard into the first team this year with the likes of Marco Asensio, Lucas Vasquez, Toni Kroos, Casemiro and Luka Modric all ahead in the pecking order. Even Isco resurgence in recent weeks is bad news for the Norwegian. 

With James Rodriguez set to leave the club in the summer – after agent Jorge Mendes confirmed the same – Odegaard will feel his chances of breaking into the first team will improve ever so slightly but is likely to leave out on loan again come the summer. 

Real Madrid aren’t entirely convinced by his contribution and growth ever since signing him but are said to be insistent on giving him multiple chances to prove his worth. He’s highly rated all over Europe; if Real Madrid do cave and make him available for a permanent transfer, there won’t be a shortage of suitors – either this summer or the next.