The Premier League returns in only 40 days, and while many of the top players have extended already busy seasons with their countries at Euro 2024 and the Copa América, Martin Odegaard has been able to put his feet up and recharge.
“Obviously I’m disappointed not to be at the Euros, so it has been a bit strange to watch the games,” says the Arsenal and Norway captain, whose country missed out on qualification behind Spain and Scotland. “But I’ve had some more time to relax and disconnect. I think I needed that after what was a long season and all the emotions that come with the season as well. So that’s the good part. And we’re here now to start preparing for a big season.”
Odegaard is speaking via Zoom from Arsenal’s sun-kissed training camp in Marbella where, after last season’s agonising denouement, the foundations for another Premier League title bid are being laid.
For Arsenal, it was a record-breaking campaign that ultimately yielded no reward. Yet, time to reflect has strengthened Odegaard’s belief that last season’s experience — Manchester City beating Mikel Arteta’s side to the title by two points on the final day — will drive Arsenal to greater heights this season.
“We made history,” Odegaard says of an 89-point haul that was Arsenal’s highest in the Premier League era and would have won the league in 20 of the previous 31 campaigns. “We have to be proud of those things. It wasn’t enough to win it and that’s what we wanted to do.
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“We all felt a bit disappointed with being so close. It is easy to look at one game, but you have to look at the whole season and it is small margins.
“We didn’t have the consistency to win it. We have to earn it. We know we can improve, we know we are going to get better. That’s what we are working for now. It is just small margins, small details in the game and how to deal with a long season.
“You learn something every day, especially when you are so close. You can feel it, you can taste it and you have it there on the last day. It gives us all the motivation we need to come back even stronger this year and to win it. That’s the big goal.”
Odegaard, 25, admits it took some time for him to disconnect after the conclusion of the season but, after holidaying with family and friends, he believes Arsenal are ready to take the next step. Later this month, the full squad fly out to the United States for friendlies against Bournemouth, Manchester United and Liverpool. Arsenal will then host Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon at the Emirates Stadium in final preparations for their Premier League opener, the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers on August 17.
Odegaard’s most recent act on home soil was to address a sombre home support after the 2-1 win against Everton. It was a sixth straight victory, but not enough to leapfrog City on the final day. “It was a bit flat, a bit empty,” Odegaard says. “We had the big dream and we were so close. We had it on the last day and I really had the feeling something special would happen and so did a lot of people.
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“When you are so close and you can see the trophy there, that was the emotion right then. But at the same time, it is important to think about all the good things. The history we made, all the moments. I am so proud to be a part of this team and be captain, and of everything we do.”
Arsenal have yet to make a signing this summer but have been strongly linked with the 22-year-old Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori, who was a shining light in a disappointing Italy team at Euro 2024 in Germany. The clamour for Arsenal to sign a proven striker has not gone away, of course, but Odegaard says he is happy to leave those decisions to Arteta and the club’s sporting director, Edu.
How, then, can Arsenal end next season with Odegaard leading the celebrations on the final day instead?
“The work we put in every day,” he says. “The work ethic and the mentality in the team — we are all thinking about the same thing. We want to win something. We just want to get better and better. We are a young team as well, so I’m sure the experience and another year is going to help us a little bit.
“It is easy to find the motivation because we all want to win and we are all pushing each other so hard every day. Staff, players, supporters, everyone is pushing in the same direction. That’s quite easy, to be honest, because we have the big goal there and we were so close. I think it is just about doing those small things every day to become a little better and, in the end, I’m sure it is going to be rewarded with a trophy.”
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