Mikel Arteta has revealed his plans for Martin Odegaard after the midfielder joined Arsenal this week.
The 22-year-old has moved to the Emirates Stadium on loan from Real Madrid until the end of the season.
Odegaard could make his Premier League debut when Manchester United visit north London on Saturday.
And Arteta has spoken about how he intends to use the Norwegian, who he described as “such a talent”.
“He’s a player that we followed for some time and we believe that he’s got some special qualities that we need, that we have been missing,” the Arsenal boss said ahead of Saturday’s game.
“Now we have to give him a little bit of time. He hasn’t played that many minutes in Madrid but he’s been training hard and he looks so excited, as we are, to have another big talent at our club.
“I think in the last few seasons he’s progressed and developed in the right way. I’ve followed him very closely because he played for Real Sociedad, which is my home town. I know him really well.
“I’ve been really impressed. He’s a such a talent. He needs the right environment, he needs a little bit of time but I think he’s got the qualities to be a success for us.
“He’s a specialist to play in the pockets, to play in the No. 8 or 10 positions. He can play off the sides. “He’s a really creative player who’s really comfortable on the ball in tight spaces.
“He has the capacity to create chances and to score goals. Something that he has improved a lot is his work rate without the ball as well, so it’s another option to give us more creativity for sure in the final third, and give us more options to set up in different ways against certain teams.”
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