ALMOST DONE: Arsenal reach agreement to sign Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid

Arsenal have reached an agreement to sign Martin Odegaard on loan from Real Madrid, according to reports in Spain. 

The 22-year-old is unhappy with his lack of playing time under Zinedine Zidane this season and has asked to leave Madrid before the end of the transfer window.

 It’s understood that the midfielder favoured a return to Real Sociedad following his successful loan stint at the club last season. 

But according to El Confidencial and El Diario Vasco, a newspaper based in San Sebastian, Real Sociedad have lost out to Arsenal in the race to sign Odegaard.

 The report claims that the Norway international will join the Gunners on loan for the remainder of the season but no purchase option will be included in the deal.

Real Sociedad were keen on signing Odegaard for a second time but had insisted to Madrid that a purchase clause was part of the loan deal.

While Madrid’s hierarchy are open to Odegaard leaving in order to secure more playing time, the Spanish champions want to keep control of the midfielder’s long-term future and do not want him to leave permanently. 

Arsenal already have a strong relationship with Madrid due to their loan agreement with Dani Ceballos, who is in his second season on loan with the Gunners.

 Reports in Spain claim that Arsenal are the club who have pushed the hardest to sign Odegaard, with Real Sociedad more concerned with finding a replacement for their striker Willian Jose, who is on the verge of joining Wolves on loan with an option to buy this summer for €20 million (£17.8m).