Odegaard's Future in Doubt as Real Madrid Circles and Scholes Questions Arsenal Captain's Impact

Arsenal's commanding position atop the Premier League has been built on Mikel Arteta's tactical nous and collective effort, yet the form of their captain Martin Odegaard is raising eyebrows among pundits and potentially attracting interest from elite European sides.

The Norway international's numbers this season tell a stark story. One goal and four assists across 18 Premier League outings represents a dramatic dip from his previous two campaigns, when he notched 23 goals and 17 assists in 72 league appearances. The decline has been pronounced enough that Arteta has benched Odegaard for three of Arsenal's last four fixtures, a telling decision after he failed to register a goal or assist across six straight matches.

Yet there's a twist to the narrative. Coming off the bench during the 4-0 demolition of Leeds United, Odegaard provided an assist as Arsenal stretched their title advantage to seven points heading into the weekend's action from Manchester City and Aston Villa.

Paul Scholes, however, sees deeper issues at play. The former Manchester United midfielder suggested on the Stick to Football podcast that Odegaard's reluctance to occupy the spaces where matches are genuinely won represents a fundamental problem. Rather than dictating play from advanced positions as a true number ten, Scholes argues, Odegaard drifts into midfield—a tendency that undermines the entire attacking structure.

"Odegaard could be the problem," Scholes stated. "Technically brilliant, good to watch, but he drops into midfield. If you're a number ten and the team isn't playing good football, it's your job to make them play good football—attacking football. I don't think he does it enough in those areas where it wins games."

Scholes drew parallels with the attacking architects of title-winning sides. "Look at Liverpool and Manchester City—exciting to watch because of players like David Silva and Phil Foden receiving the ball on the edge of the box where it matters. When a number ten doesn't do that, it kills the centre forward. They've got nobody to play with."

The criticism comes as Spanish outlet Fichajes reports that Odegaard could engineer a return to Real Madrid this summer, with the midfielder allegedly reaching "a point of no return" with Arsenal due to friction with Arteta. Bayern Munich have reportedly entered the race, with European clubs now circling a player valued at around €80 million.

Arsenal's hierarchy, according to the report, are beginning to view a summer departure as potentially beneficial for all involved, having already sparked interest from continental heavyweights.

Darren Bent, the former Tottenham striker and Arsenal supporter, has added his voice to calls for change. Speaking on talkSPORT after Arsenal's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United, Bent advocated for Eberechi Eze to replace Odegaard in the starting lineup.

"Next weekend in the Premier League, Odegaard out. Out. Honestly, out," Bent declared. "After Eze's performance against Tottenham, where he was unbelievable, Odegaard came back in and went straight back to himself. He's offering nothing. Give Eze four or five games."

Bent emphasised that the 23-year-old Crystal Palace midfielder deserves an extended run in the side. "Eze has to start and Odegaard has to come out. Give Eze a run now because he's a special talent."

The pundit's assessment extended to Arsenal's attacking contingent more broadly. "Right now, in the attacking areas, no player can hold their hands up and say they don't deserve to be dropped, because they've all been poor."

With Arsenal chasing their first league title since 2004, the question of whether their captain can rediscover the form that made him such a crucial figure in previous seasons—or whether a fresh approach is required—may prove decisive in the run-in.