FC Bayern is once again being linked to a high-profile name from the Premier League. Martin Ödegaard, captain of Arsenal FC, is reportedly still on the radar of the German record champions. The Norwegian international’s contract situation, in particular, could lead to some movement in the coming months.
As reported by the British website Caughtoffside, the Munich club is closely monitoring the 27-year-old’s situation. In addition to FC Bayern, Juventus Turin is also said to be showing interest in the attacking midfielder. Furthermore, other top European clubs have reportedly already inquired about Ødegaard.
However, no concrete transfer is on the horizon at this time. Arsenal is determined to keep its star player and is apparently already working on an early contract extension. Should an agreement fail to materialize, however, an opportunity could arise for interested clubs.
Bayern is monitoring Ødegaard’s contract situation
The Norwegian’s current contract runs through the summer of 2028. According to the report, Arsenal has already begun informal talks with the player’s representatives regarding an extension.
The London club wants to prevent Ödegaard from entering the 2027 season with only one year remaining on his contract. Consequently, there is likely to be significant interest in reaching an early agreement.
A sale is reportedly not currently on the table for the Gunners. Only if contract negotiations fail would Arsenal seriously consider letting their captain go.
For FC Bayern, this could potentially be an interesting scenario.
Ödegaard has been one of the most important players on Mikel Arteta’s team for years. The Norwegian initially moved from Real Madrid to London on loan in January 2021, before Arsenal signed him permanently a few months later for around 35 million euros.
In the summer of 2022, the midfielder was named team captain. Since then, he has been a central figure in the London club’s play.
Ödegaard is reportedly open to a move to Bayern
The fact that Munich is interested in Ödegaard is nothing new. Sky had recently reported that there had been repeated contact between FC Bayern and the player’s camp in recent years.
According to those reports, the Norwegian international is, in principle, open to a move to the German record champions. However, there are currently no concrete developments regarding a transfer.
It remains to be seen, in any case, how urgently Bayern is looking to strengthen this position. With Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic, and Tom Bischof, the record champions already have several options in central midfield.
For the more attacking roles, players such as Jamal Musiala, Ismael Saibari, Lennart Karl, and Serge Gnabry are available.
Nevertheless, Ödegaard would bring additional quality with his game intelligence, creativity, and experience. In addition, he could be deployed both as a classic number 10 and in a slightly deeper midfield role.
Whether Munich actually makes a move will likely depend largely on how things unfold in London.
As long as Arsenal wants to keep its captain on a long-term contract, a transfer seems unlikely. However, should contract negotiations stall, Ödegaard could become an intriguing prospect for FC Bayern next summer.