Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has firmly rejected suggestions that Martin Odegaard should lose the club captaincy, making it clear there is “no question” the Norwegian midfielder is the right figure to lead the team in their Premier League title pursuit.
The debate was sparked after former Arsenal captain Tony Adams called for England international Declan Rice to be handed the armband in place of Odegaard.
However, Arteta offered a robust defence of his skipper, revealing that the decision was backed overwhelmingly by the players themselves.
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“My opinion is clear, and it’s not just my opinion. It’s all the staff and especially the players,” Arteta told reporters on Friday.
“I asked them to vote for the captain, and I got the results yesterday. By a mile, by a big, big (margin), by 100 miles, everybody chose the same person, Martin Odegaard, which is the most clear sign that you can have.
“It’s how they feel about who has to be their captain, to defend, to improve, and win the matches that we want to win, so I think there is no question about that.”
Arsenal, last crowned Premier League champions in 2004, have finished second in each of the past three seasons and have not lifted silverware since winning the FA Cup in 2020.
Their recent inability to sustain a title challenge has led to questions over the team’s mentality, with Odegaard’s leadership often discussed.
Speaking to the Irish Independent, Adams said: “Every now and again, as a manager, you have to put someone who reflects you, who reflects the football club, that you think can actually take you to the next level.
“You’ve got someone in there who’s going to play every game all season, that’s going to encourage people to come in and lay the foundations of a title-winning team.”
Arteta, himself a former Arsenal captain, said he could “talk about leadership for hours” and insisted Odegaard had the full confidence of the squad.
“What matters the most is how these guys feel about who needs to lead them, how they feel comfortable, who is going to push them, who is going to give them support when it’s happening,” he said.
The Gunners begin their league campaign away to Manchester United on Sunday before welcoming newly-promoted Leeds to the Emirates.
That will be followed by a demanding run of fixtures against Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City, and Newcastle — a stretch Arteta believes will quickly test their title credentials.
“Yes, especially with the consistency that we showed in the last three years, and now the margins, we know how small they are,” he said.
“We know that the competition has increased the level of recruitment, with another year together.”
Arteta also confirmed that summer arrivals Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi will be available for selection at Old Trafford.
