Martin Odegaard has been the heartbeat of this Arsenal side for years. He wore the armband. He helped deliver a Premier League title. But football doesn’t wait for anyone — and right now, Arsenal aren’t waiting either.
According to a TEAMtalk exclusive, Arsenal are surprisingly open to selling their club captain this summer if the right bid lands. And with the pursuit of Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes accelerating fast, Odegaard’s role at the Emirates looks more uncertain than ever.
So what’s really going on?
Guimaraes Inches Closer to the Emirates
Arsenal have made Bruno Guimaraes their priority midfield target this window. That’s not a secret anymore. What’s new is how close things are getting.
The Gunners have already tabled two offers. The first was a verbal £55m bid, quickly rejected. The second came through intermediaries at £65m — also turned down. But Newcastle’s stance has shifted.
According to Football365, sources now indicate that £75m could break the deadlock. The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, who covers Newcastle closely, backed that figure on social media. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Arsenal will return to the table, saying they’ll “bid again — you can be sure.”
Guimaraes himself has told Newcastle he wants out. Personal terms with Arsenal are already in place, per multiple reports. At 28, he sees this as his window for a career-defining move.
His World Cup displays for Brazil only boosted his case. BeIN Sports reported he finished with four assists — the second-highest single-tournament total ever by a Brazilian. That kind of pedigree doesn’t come cheap, but it’s exactly what Arteta wants.
Why Odegaard’s Time Could Be Running Out
Here’s where it gets complicated. Just last week, TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey reported that Odegaard remained central to Arsenal’s plans. Contract talks were described as progressing smoothly. Arteta was said to still view him as a pillar of the project.
But the mood has changed quickly.
A fresh TEAMtalk report now says Arsenal would entertain offers for the Norwegian — and that the 2026/27 season could be his last at the club. His contract runs until June 2028. That’s a ticking clock.
The numbers tell part of the story. Odegaard managed just 16 Premier League starts last season, with eight substitute appearances. Injuries were a factor — a knee problem sidelined him from February to April, followed by a muscle issue in the spring. It was comfortably his least productive campaign since arriving from Real Madrid in 2021.
CaughtOffside reported that Arsenal could sanction a sale for around £75m, with “serious interest” from unnamed clubs already emerging. Galatasaray were briefly linked, though Arsenal dismissed those rumours.
The Standard’s Matt Verri added another layer, reporting that some within Arsenal’s hierarchy are open to cashing in this summer to fund other moves. However, Arteta himself may resist that idea — and his influence on transfer decisions is significant.
Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson weighed in too. He acknowledged the logic of a sale but warned there’d be “teams queuing round the block” for a player of Odegaard’s quality.
What Happens Next?
Right now, no club has matched Arsenal’s valuation for Odegaard. That makes a summer exit unlikely, at least for the moment.
But the direction of travel is clear. Arsenal want more physicality in midfield. They want someone who can press relentlessly and dominate duels. Guimaraes fits that profile perfectly. Odegaard, for all his elegance and vision, doesn’t.
If Arsenal land Guimaraes at £75m and bring in another midfielder — reports suggest they’re still looking — Odegaard’s minutes could shrink even further. And a player of his calibre won’t sit on the bench quietly.
The coming weeks will decide a lot. Can Arsenal close the Guimaraes deal? Will anyone step up with a serious offer for Odegaard? These two questions are now deeply connected.
One thing’s certain: Arsenal’s midfield is about to look very different. Whether Odegaard is part of that picture — or a casualty of it — remains the biggest question at the Emirates this summer.
