Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says that new loan signing Martin Odegaard was always going to be fighting a losing battle when being compared to Barcelona great Lionel Messi, but believes the Norwegian has the necessary qualities to thrive with the Gunners.
Real Madrid snapped up Odegaard from Stromsgodset as a teenager, farming the attacker out on loan to the likes of Heerenveen, Vitesse and Real Sociedad before giving him the chance to break into Zinedine Zidane's squad this season.
Minutes had been hard to come by under the French head coach, however, and the 22-year-old has been given the chance to shine in north London as a result.