Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has firmly rejected suggestions that Martin Odegaard should be stripped of the captain’s armband, insisting there is “no question” the Norwegian playmaker is the right man to lead the Gunners’ Premier League title charge.
Former Arsenal captain Tony Adams recently urged Arteta to hand the role to England midfielder Declan Rice, claiming Rice has the qualities to take the team “to the next level.” But Arteta mounted a strong defence of Odegaard’s leadership, revealing that the midfielder had been overwhelmingly re-elected as skipper by his teammates.
“My opinion is clear, and it’s not just mine — it’s shared by all the staff and especially the players,” Arteta told reporters on Friday. “I asked them to vote for the captain, and by a huge margin, everybody chose Martin Odegaard. That’s the clearest sign you can have.”
Odegaard, 25, has been a central figure in Arsenal’s resurgence in recent years, guiding the team to three consecutive second-place finishes in the league. However, the Gunners’ failure to convert those strong campaigns into silverware — their last trophy being the 2020 FA Cup — has led to questions about their mental edge, with Odegaard often in the spotlight.
Adams, speaking to the Irish Independent, argued that Rice’s consistency, leadership presence, and ability to inspire could make him the ideal captain. “Declan Rice can do that, Odegaard can’t,” he said. “Come on, Arteta, make him captain.”
But Arteta, himself a former Arsenal captain, dismissed the criticism, saying leadership comes in many forms. “What matters most is how these guys feel about who needs to lead them — who is going to push them, who is going to give them support when it’s needed,” he said.
Arsenal’s Premier League campaign kicks off on Sunday with a trip to Manchester United, followed by a home fixture against newly-promoted Leeds. They then face a testing run of games against Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City, and Newcastle — a stretch Arteta believes will offer an early measure of their title credentials.
“Yes, especially with the consistency we’ve shown over the last three years, and knowing how small the margins are now,” Arteta said. “The competition has improved, recruitment levels have gone up, and we’ve had another year together.”
The Spaniard confirmed that new summer signings Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi will be fit and available for the clash at Old Trafford.
