Why Martin Odegaard struggled at Real Madrid and how it led him to Arsenal

Under Rafael Benitez the following season, his game-time was even more restricted.

Odegaard was given 45 minutes in pre-season against Roma, “more out of obligation than belief”, says Balague, adding: “His only other appearance under Benitez came in a friendly in Oslo, carefully scheduled to cash in on his popularity in Norway.”

Odegaard did not play a single competitive minute for the first team, only making the bench once at Levante in March after Zidane had replaced Benitez as head coach.

He also struggled to make an impact for Castilla, with 22 of his 38 appearances coming from the bench.

“Despite flashes of talent, he never convinced his coaches or found a rhythm,” says Balague.

“He also struggled to accept a role on the fringes. For a player used to being the centrepiece, adjusting to the bench was an emotional and professional challenge.

“Yet those close to him insist that Odegaard has always had a remarkable ability to weather setbacks.

“His mental strength, coupled with a monastic devotion to football – including stints at the Sierra Nevada high-performance centre to recover fitness and build stamina – meant he never lost sight of his goals.”

However mentally robust Odegaard was though, he knew his development as a player was being stunted.

“With the B team, I wasn’t with them regularly so I didn’t find that connection. In the first team, I was just some kid who came to train,” Odegaard said in the Players’ Tribune.

“After a couple of years, I just wasn’t progressing.”

He started one game in the Copa del Rey, but in January 2017 Odegaard left for Heerenveen on an 18-month loan and remained in the Netherlands for a further season with Vitesse Arnhem, winning their player of the year award.

“Martin had some critics,” says Lund, talking about his decision to join Real Madrid.

“I heard a lot about Dutch clubs like Ajax and PSV, and they wanted him to go there first.

“But it is very easy to say that. When a 16-year-old can train with Ronaldo every day with the first team of Real Madrid… it is for me silly to say he didn’t choose correctly.

“I am 100% that they did the right choice. He didn’t have an agent, his father ran the whole thing, and when Real Madrid came to make a deal, then they used an agent.

“Hans Erik managed the whole process and if you have competent people around you that is the best, because he doesn’t have any financial intentions, he only had one intention and that is what is best for Martin.”