Arsenal ready £42m offer for La Liga star - Reports

Arsenal will continue to work to strengthen their squad this summer, with the new Premier League season kicking off in less than 48 hours. The Gunners are expected to wrap up a couple of deals in the coming days,.

According to reports, Arsenal have maintained their interest in signing Real Madrid midfielder Martin Odegaard. The Gunners are reportedly preparing to table an offer worth £42 million before the Spanish giants.

It would take Arsenal around €40 or €50 million to secure Odegaard's signing. The player hasn't made a final decision about his future but is seriously considering a move away from Madrid.He is not optimistic about his playing time and wants to start.

— Lucas Navarrete (@LucasNavarreteM) August 10, 2021

The story mentions that even though newly-appointed Los Blancos manager Carlo Ancelotti has the player in his plans for next season, the club won't resist cashing in on him if a decent offer arrives. Real Madrid are in a terrible financial situation at the moment. They will need to part ways with at least a couple of players to reduce their wage bill in line with La Liga's wage cap policy.

Meanwhile, Arsenal's interest in Odegaard is said to be very serious, having made him their priority target for the summer. They are expected to submit an official bid to the Norwegian's club in the coming days and are very confident about their chances of sealing the transfer.

Arsenal have not given up on signing Martin Odegaard and the Real Madrid midfielder is keen on returning to Emirates Stadium this summerhttps://t.co/9oAswlgvQb

— Chris Wheatley (@ChrisWheatley_) July 27, 2021

Martin Odegaard became a hot target for Arsenal following his impressive displays during his loan stint at the Emirates Stadium last season. The midfielder made 20 appearances for the Gunners during the campaign, contributing two goals and two assists. Aside from that, he also put in a series of impressive moments on the pitch and provided the side with some much-needed creativity.

Martin Odegaard spent the previous season on loan at Arsenal

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Who else is on Arsenal's radar?

Arsenal have reportedly prioritized luring a creative midfielder to the Emirates this summer. Apart from Odegaard, the Londoners have also been linked with Leicester City's James Maddison and Sassuolo's Manuel Locatelli. The Gunners will likely attempt to sign either of the duo if they fail in their bid to convince Real Madrid to let go of the Norwegian.

Mikel Arteta is reportedly considering strengthening the defense and the attack as well. Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez and Chelsea's Tammy Abraham are said to be the club's main offensive targets. Defensively, the likes of Takehiro Tomiyasu, Thilo Kehrer and Fabio Patrici could also be lured to the Emirates Stadium to reinforce an error-prone rearguard.