"His attitude was absolutely phenomenal" - Mikel Arteta deeply impressed by 23-year-old Arsenal star

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has lavished praise on midfielder Martin Odegaard. He stated that the Norwegian has a great attitude and works for the team.

The midfielder first arrived at the Emirates on a loan move in January 2021 from Real Madrid to help the Gunners in the second-half of the campaign.

Arteta and his coaching staff were thoroughly impressed by the Norwegian as he registered two goals and two assists in 20 matches. They signed him permanently last summer for €35 million.

In his time at Arsenal, he has formed a close bond with manager Arteta. It appears that the boss is ready to entrust Odegaard with the captain's armband permanently.

In an interview with The Athletic, the Spaniard underlined his player's qualities which make him an ideal fit to lead his young side.

Arteta said:

"He thinks about the team before himself. He had a period at the start where he wasn’t playing, he was the first in training, the last to leave, asking the right questions – why he wasn’t playing, what he had to do – he was always listening, he was always helping his teammates."

He added:

“His attitude was absolutely phenomenal. That made me think that this guy is putting the team in front of himself and the captain has to do that always.”

The Arsenal boss has been trying to create a leadership group within the dressing room. He is determined to create a disciplined environment where everyone can thrive. Left-back Kieran Tierney is another player the Gunners faithful have touted as a potential future captain.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Granit Xhaka have held the captain's armband in the past but were eventually stripped. Post Aubameyang's exit in January, Alexandre Lacazette was made captain but he has now left the club and joined Olympique Lyon this summer.

However, recurring injuries have seen him miss crucial games for Arsenal and is one of the reasons why he hasn't worn the armband.

The Norwegian ace, who also captains his country, wore the armband for the Gunners in their last eight Premier League games of the 2021-22 campaign. He scored seven goals and provided five assists in 40 matches last season.

He also led the side in a friendly match against Everton on their pre-season tour of the US and is expected to captain the side for next season.

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Arsenal midfielder Odegaard says "time and experience" helped him improve his leadership skills

On many occasions in the previous campaign, Odegaard walked towards the touchline, taking instructions from Mikel Arteta and relaying them to his on-field teammates. Odegaard's understanding of the game and situation has helped him emerge as a leader at Arsenal.

While talking about the responsibilities of the captain's armband, the 23-year-old told the BBC:

"I think I've maybe improved that quality a little bit with the time and experience. I've been through a lot of things, ups and downs, and I think all that makes you stronger. I feel more confident and more calm on the pitch so I just try to use that in a good way and do what's best for the team."

Odegaard will be challenged by new signing Fabio Vieira for a spot in the starting XI, but with the armband, he will feel more secure about the starting berth.