Martin Odegaard has brushed off criticism surrounding his suitability to be Arsenal captain.
Odegaard, 26, has been the Gunners’ skipper since 2022, helping to guide the Gunners to three successive Premier League title pushes, although Mikel Arteta’s side have come up short every time.
The Norwegian’s form has held up despite the responsibility, with the midfielder contributing 26 Premier League goals and 26 assists over the past three seasons.
However, some have felt Odegaard, who became captain after the departures of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, is not best suited to the role, with other candidates instead better positioned to lead the side.
This includes former Gunners skipper Tony Adams, who felt it was time for change and called for Declan Rice to replace Odegaard.
However, when questioned about this on international duty, Odegaard remained nonplussed.
Martin Odegaard has brushed off criticism surrounding his suitability to be Arsenal captain
Former Gunners skipper Tony Adams had said as such but Odegaard insisted he didn’t care
‘I don’t care that much, to be honest,’ the Norwegian said. ‘Everyone can have their opinion and say what they want, and I’m alright with that. I can’t care about what everyone says.
‘There’s a lot of negative and positive things to say, but I can’t let it affect me. That’s what I’ve thought throughout my career.’
Speaking last month at an Irish Independent Sport event, Adams had said: ‘Every now and again as a manager, you have to put someone who reflects you, who reflects the football club that you think can actually take you to the next level.
‘Declan is my kind of captain and what it might do is free up Martin Odegaard to play with more freedom.
‘You’ve got someone in there that is going to play every game and lay the foundations of a title-winning team. Declan Rice can do that, Odegaard can’t. Come on Arteta, make him captain.’
Odegaard convincingly won a players’ vote to continue as captain ahead of this season and at the time Arteta had expressed his full belief in the 26-year-old heading forward.
‘My opinion is clear and it’s not just my opinion, it’s all the staff and especially the players,’ Arteta explained
Adams questioned Odegaard’s credentials and called for Declan Rice to become skipper
‘I asked them to vote the captain and I got the result yesterday. And by a mile, by a big, big 100 miles, everybody choosing the same person, which is Martin Odegaard, and which is the most clear sign that you can have.
‘It’s how they feel about who has to be their captain to defend, improve and win the matches that we want to win. So I think there’s no question about that.’
When pressed on the player vote reaffirming his authority, Odegaard had added: ‘We voted for it. Ultimately, it was [Arteta’s] choice anyway. But it was a nice confirmation for me.’
The Gunners have two wins from three games this season and they return to action when they host Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
