Martin Odegaard has signed a new contract with Arsenal that will keep him at the club until 2028.
The Gunners captain becomes one of the club’s highest-paid players and the sixth senior member of Mikel Arteta’s squad to pledge his long-term future to the club in the last year.
And the 24-year-old Norwegian international insists it was “a no-brainer” to follow Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, Gabriel Martinelli, Aaron Ramsdale and Gabriel Magalhaes in penning a new deal.
Odegaard, who joined Arsenal in a £35million move from Real Madrid in 2021, says: “This was such an easy decision for me because I’ve felt at home here since my very first day at Arsenal.
“The first time I spoke to Mikel Arteta, I knew he was a great coach and that I wanted to work with him.
“I was immediately convinced by all the things he said to me about what he wanted to do with the team, how he wanted to play, how he saw my qualities and how he saw me fitting into his system.
“He is so smart. He sees so many details you don’t even think about. He’s capable of making you understand football in a different way because the way he explains everything makes sense.
“And the fact that so many players have agreed new contracts just shows what we are doing as a club.
“People want to be here as part of the project because what we are doing is really special and with so many hungry young players, it’s a great place to be.”
Odegaard says that the strain of expectation has increased since he helped Arsenal come second to Manchester City in the Premier League title chase last season.
But, with the club back in the Champions League and a North London derby against Spurs on Sunday, he wouldn’t have it any other way.