German media ``Sky Sports'' has reported that Arsenal captain and Norwegian national team midfielder Martin Odegaard is attracting interest from Bayern Munich. Odegaard, now 27, joined Real Madrid permanently in 2015 at the age of 16 and, after limited first-team appearances, went on loan to Heerenveen, Vitesse and Real Sociedad before moving to Arsenal in 2021. He has played in 248 games in all competitions, scoring 46 goals and providing 47 assists.
Arsenal are said to have started negotiations for a new contract ahead of next season, as Odegaard's contract runs until the end of June 2028. He has a lot of trust from manager Mikel Arteta, and has been the team captain since the 2022-23 season. The club have signed Arteta to a long-term contract and are in the process of extending contracts with other key players, including Dutch defender Julian Timber and England midfielder Declan Rice.
Meanwhile, several top European clubs, including Bayern Munich, have expressed interest in Odegaard. Although Bayern are not his priority target at the moment, it is reported that they could make a move to sign him if he does not extend his contract with Arsenal. It is believed that there has been intermittent contact between Bayern and Odegaard over the past few years.
Odegaard is said to be keen to sign a new contract as soon as possible with an eye on the future of his career, while continuing to play for Arsenal. The club are in talks to secure a contract extension for him amid growing interest from other clubs. Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see whether Arsenal finalize a contract with Odegaard or whether he will move to a club such as Bayern Munich.