When it became clear Martin Odegaard wanted to leave Real Madrid on loan this month, and that the Spanish club would allow the move, the assumption was he’d be returning to Real Sociedad, where he did so well last season.
On Thursday, the Spanish press went on a new tangent and reported the Norway international was instead set to sign for Arsenal.
What then made that track more serious is Diario Vasco, the local newspaper for the Basque club, admitting defeat and themselves declaring Odegaard wouldn’t be signing for Real Sociedad, but Arsenal instead.
Diario Vasco try to explain to their readers, many of whom will be disappointed, why the Madrid man is going to Mikel Arteta’s side rather than La Real.
They start their article by stating: ‘In the Odegaard case it can be said that dreams have been confused with reality. He left such a good memory at Real (Sociedad) and so traumatic was his unexpected departure in summer, called back by Madrid, that everyone around the txuri-urdin club dreamed of the return of the Norwegian once he asked the white club to leave for the lack of minutes.’
However, Real Madrid see it differently and believe a move to Arsenal will work better, with Diario Vasco saying the transfer to the Gunners is just missing the official confirmation.
Zinedine Zidane’s side didn’t want to send their player on loan to a direct rival.
Real Sociedad are nine points behind Madrid, so there may also be the desire to give the player the experience of English football, and also not wanting to see him succeed too close to home, for fear of further questions being asked about how Madrid have dealt with him.
Therefore, for La Real it all became an ‘impossible dream’.
