Liverpool Transfer News: Martin Odegaard Impresses Scouts as January Bid Is Eyed

Liverpool are reportedly scouting Norwegian teenage sensation Martin Odegaard ahead of a possible transfer move in January, according to reports from Scandinavia (h/t to Metro's Jamie Sanderson).

The 15-year-old midfielder is widely regarded as one of the biggest talents in all of football, and his name got some recognition outside of Norway when he made his international debut for the senior team on August 19th, becoming the youngest player to do so in Norwegian football history.

Manchester United tried to sign him on transfer deadline day, according to Sanderson, but the youngster decided to continue his career with his current club, Stromsgodset.

Former Blackburn winger Morten Gamst Pedersen recently told ITV Odegaard is the most talented player he has ever witnessed:

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For his age he is unbelievable—his knowledge of the game is unbelievable and his technical skills are fantastic. You have to realise he is only 15 years old and he needs time to build up his physique but the potential is unbelievable, I have never seen a player with so much potential.

He is with the under-21s and hopefully he will get a feel for international football there but it is not the last we will see of him, that's for sure.

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The son of a former footballer himself, Odegaard displays an incredible maturity on the pitch, in addition to impressive technical abilities and the tactical insights the Norwegian game is based on.

Despite all of the media attention (he's a bit of a YouTube sensation) he refuses to sign with an agent, a testament to his excellent mindset. Odegaard seemingly has no interest in becoming the next big thing—he just wants to continue developing at his own pace.

If his debut for the Norwegian team against the United Arab Emirates is any indication, that pace is ridiculously high. Odegaard was phenomenal, to the point some pundits were already calling for him to be included in the squad that would face England and Italy.

But perhaps the best news the Reds could have gotten is that he's reportedly a big Liverpool fan, as shared by The Guardian's Marcus Christenson:

As a result, Brendan Rodgers is expected to have the inside track in the race for his signature. But while Sanderson reports the Reds are eyeing a move in January, it could yet be a while before the Norwegian star decides to put pen to paper.

Odegaard is frequently compared to Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, but at the age of 15, his physique is still that of a teenager, not a young man. Ronaldo was ready for the physical play of the Premier League when he joined Manchester United—Odegaard is not.

His development will be aided by at least two more years in the Norwegian league, likely the reason he still hasn't signed an agent and refused a move to Old Trafford.

One solution could be a loan back to Stromsgodset, where he could spend 18 more months honing his craft while the Reds hold on to his rights. If Odegaard indeed is such a big fan of the club, it will be hard for him to turn down an offer to join the Reds.

One thing is certain—we've yet to hear the last from this kid, and we could be in for a wild January transfer window if several more clubs decide they'd like to try their hand at signing one of the biggest talents in all of Europe.

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