EPL: Gareth Bale could help Arsenal land Odegaard on permanent deal

On-loan Real Madrid winger, Gareth Bale, could play a role in Arsenal’s bid to land Martin Odegaard on a permanent basis ahead of next season.

Odegaard has impressed on loan with the Gunners from Real this season and the Gunners are keen to keep him.

The Norway captain appears to have left the door open to a permanent switch, having not been afforded much game time at the Santiago Bernabeu by manager Zinedine Zidane.

The loan deal did not include an option to buy and Odegaard’s current contract with Real does not expire until 2023, meaning he is likely to command a hefty transfer fee.

Arsenal reported a loss of £47.8m for the financial year earlier this month and might not be able to spend big in the summer.

However, Real also have their own financial problems, reporting a gross total debt figure of €901m in their latest accounts.

Reports from Spain have outlined the need for Real to offload some of their big earners, in order to finance their summer business and Bale is earning a mammoth £600,000-a-week.

He is currently on loan at Tottenham, who are subsidising half of his wages, but he recently revealed that he intends to return to Real at the end of the season to see out the remaining year of his contract.

With Bale set to return, Real are more likely to be open to selling Odegaard in a bid to balance their books and that may drive down their asking price, making a deal more affordable for Arsenal.

EPL: Gareth Bale could help Arsenal land Odegaard on permanent deal