Martin Odegaard Transfer Rumours: Latest News on Potential Move to Real Madrid

Martin Odegaard has finally made his decision on which major European club to join. Real Madrid wins the race to sign the exciting Norwegian midfielder, beating the likes of Liverpool, Ajax and Bayern Munich to the 16-year-old's signature.  

Continue for updates.

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Norway Bids Farewell to Odegaard, Real Madrid Deal Confirmed

Wednesday, Jan. 21

Real Madrid confirmed the transfer of Odegaard:

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Real Madrid C. F. and Stromsgodset Fotball have reached an agreement for the transfer of Martin Odegaard.

After undergoing a medical exam, the player will hold a press conference with the director of Institutional Relations, Emilio Butragueño, today 22 January at 1:30pm CET in the Ciudad Real Madrid press room.

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Odegaard's expected switch to Madrid was plastered across the back pages in Norway on Tuesday morning, as shown below:

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Odegaard to Madrid Switch Imminent 

Monday, Jan. 19

Odegaard has been linked with a whole host of top sides in recent months after spending time training with several high-profile clubs, and Norwegian paper Drammens Tidende (h/t The Guardian's Marcus Christenson) reports that negotiations have started with Los Blancos.

Indeed, Christenson provides the details from the Drammens Tidende report, which suggests Odegaard will make the switch from current club Stromsgodset to the Bernabeu imminently:

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Martin and his father, Hans Erik Odegaard, will move to Madrid straight away and they have a villa there waiting for them. Hans Erik has been offered a job at Real and the 16-year-old is set to play games for the B team until the summer - unless he shows that he is so good that he can be involved in the first team squad on match days.

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Previous reports, per German outlet Sport1 (h/t 101 Great Goals), had suggested that Bayern were in the driver's seat to tie Odegaard to his first professional contract—he only turned 16 in December—but the European champions seem to have pipped the Bundesliga side.

There is no doubt that Odegaard is a tremendous talent—hence the intense competition to sign him. The Times' Oliver Kay painted a picture of a player "blessed with remarkable poise, balance, vision and the silkiest of touches—imagine a younger, taller, quicker David Silva."

He became the youngest player to play in the Tippeligaen when he made his debut for Stromsgodset back in April, and in August, he claimed the record as youngest-ever debutant for the Norwegian international team.

However, Odegaard is unlikely to feature in the first team under Real boss Carlo Ancelotti any time soon considering the immense talent the Italian already has at his disposal and the Norwegian's youth and inexperience.

It seems, though, that first-team opportunities are not all that Odegaard was looking for in his choice of club given Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's offer in attempting to attract the youngster, per Christenson:

Odegaard may well benefit from spending some time out of the limelight after the clamour surrounding his move, and he will no doubt be given opportunities to improve on his vast potential in the Real B side.

While he is clearly incredibly gifted, Odegaard will need time and training to fulfill his potential, and it seems he and his father have decided that Madrid is the best place for him to advance.