Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed he was desperate to sign a teenage Martin Odegaard before he joined Real Madrid.
Wenger also compared Odegaard with former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, adding that he has good vision and technical quality.
In a recent conversation with one of his former players, Freddie Ljungberg, Wenger said: “Yes, I remember him (Odegaard) very well.
“We did fight like mad to get him. I got him in a training session and I remember Steve Morrow brought him into training with his father.
“He reminded me of Fabregas, good vision, good technical quality, easy with professional players in the first team.
“You could see something special there but in the end he has chosen to go to Real Madrid.”