Real Madrid Sensible to Send Martin Odegaard out on Loan for 2015-16 Season

Martin Odegaard sat on the turf of the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium, pulling down his socks to remove his shin guards, a glum and exasperated sort of look on his face.

The Norwegian had played a starring role in Real Madrid Castilla's clash with Guadalajara, but it had amounted to little. The visitors, having snatched a late goal through Abel Molinero, walked away with a 1-1 draw—a result that ended Castilla's hopes of reaching the promotion playoffs in Spain's Segunda Division B. 

"His heartache was plain to see," said Marca of Odegaard. "Another year in Segunda B is akin to a jail sentence."

For Odegaard, his stint with Castilla in the third tier of Spanish football in 2015 has been difficult. In line with his contract, he's spent his weeks training with the first team, returning to the academy side on matchdays to join up with team-mates he has little interaction with. "That's all well and good on paper, but it's not working in practice," said Sky Sports' Guillem Balague. 

In April, Castilla coach Zinedine Zidane dropped the Norway international for consecutive matches, AS suggesting the rationale was that "he doesn't adapt his game to his team-mates."

AS continued:

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On three occasions, Castilla's coaching staff have called meetings with the player and his parent to explain the situation and advise him to attend Castilla's training sessions on a more regular basis. Yet neither Odegaard nor his father seem to realize that changing tack and taking the advice they've been given on board is the right thing to do as the teenager's progress with Castilla constitutes an essential part of his own development.

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Conjecture over where and with whom he trains probably wasn't what Odegaard thought he was signing up for when he completed a £2.3 million move to Real Madrid in January following a high-profile tour of Europe that included stops at Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Bayern Munich. But an end to that is now in sight for the 16-year-old. 

According to AS, Real Madrid are looking to send the former Stromsgodset star out on loan for the 2015-16 season, preferably in La Liga. "Odegaard is liked by Villarreal but Madrid will also look at teams such as Malaga and [Real] Betis," writes the capital-based outlet. The Mirror in England also suggests Premier League outfit Southampton are interested in taking the Norwegian on loan. 

For both Real Madrid and Odegaard, such a stint away would be sensible. 

At the Bernabeu next season, it's highly unlikely regular first-team opportunities will present themselves to the teenager, leaving him to deal with the Segunda B "jail sentence" and ongoing uneasiness surrounding his contract and his training situation. 

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A temporary escape from the intensity of Chamartin might also prove a blessing. Despite the fanfare that surrounds him, Odegaard is still a kid. Six months from his 17th birthday, Real's winter signing is still a year-and-a-half from being able to drive a car in Spain or at home in Norway. In many parts of the world, he can't yet legally buy a drink at a bar. He's not yet allowed to vote.

There's lot to learn and experience.

At El Madrigal, or La Rosaleda, or Benito Villamarin, the teenage prodigy could immerse himself in the daily grind of senior football. He'd play with men; train with men; learn from men. From senior pros, he'd take hits, knocks and bruises. Some of them he'd beat; some would beat him. Away from the cameras, away from the bubbling cauldron that is Madrid, he'd learn to win, lose and sometimes draw alongside senior pros grinding their way through a season at an unglamorous site in Spanish football.

If it sounds rudimentary, it's because it is. Zlatan Ibrahimovic correctly pointed out this week, per ESPN FC, that Odegaard "has to grow up and become a man." From the Paris Saint-Germain star, it wasn't a malicious or derogatory remark; instead, it was an international icon recognising that for a teenager to become a star, he must first become an adult.

A stint at Villarreal or Malaga or Betis or Rayo Vallecano or Celta Vigo would push the Norwegian along that path; a year away to harden his mind and harden his body, to narrow his focus. 

Real Madrid already have an outstanding talent in their ranks in Odegaard. Twelve months away could see him return even better.