Jamie O’Hara has urged Arsenal to consider selling Martin Odegaard in the summer transfer window after his performance against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League this week.
Odegaard has struggled with injuries this season and has started just 19 games across the Premier League and the Champions League.
The 27-year-old was substituted just before the hour mark in the draw with Atletico Madrid, and there are concerns in Norway that the midfielder is still hampered by a knee problem which has forced him to miss a significant part of Arsenal’s campaign.
However, O’Hara has questioned whether Odegaard can remain Arsenal’s captain and believes Mikel Arteta may need to sign a new creative midfielder in the summer transfer window.
‘Last season he wasn’t great either,’ O’Hara told talkSPORT.
‘He’s been terrible this season, getting dragged in the Champions League semi-final when you’re the captain is never a good look.
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‘I do believe that Arsenal maybe are growing away from Odegaard. Maybe they’ve got to look at a player who can come in and be that talisman.
‘When Eze came on tonight, he kept getting caught in possession. He’s done a couple of good things, but is he the world star in the number 10 role for Arsenal? I’m not sure.
‘But Odegaard needs to up his game. He needs to buck his ideas up because he will end up falling down a pecking order. I don’t think he can be the captain anymore.’
Meanwhile, Jason Cundy believes Declan Rice will become Arsenal’s next captain if Odegaard leave the club.
‘He’s never going to catch the eye in terms of doing step-overs and pinging one in top bins, running 30 yards. He ain’t that player. What he is, defensively, he’s a monster,’ Cundy said.
‘When he goes forward, he carries the team. He’s brilliant in control. I think he will be England’s next captain and I think it’ll be Arsenal’s next captain.’
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