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Ray Parlour has predicted that Arsenal will be trying to get a permanent deal done for Martin Odegaard in the summer if he impresses at the Emirates Stadium in the next few months.

The Gunners signed the 22-year-old this week on a short-term loan deal from Spanish giants Real Madrid.

He’s a highly-rated attacking midfielder that has been commonly discussed around Europe since breaking onto the scene as a teenager.

The left-footed playmaker has been allowed to depart the Bernabeu on loan after a stop-start first half of the season with Madrid, but he’s got huge individual quality.

Odegaard was a big hit out on loan at Real Sociedad last season, scoring seven goals and supplying nine assists in 36 games for them.

Parlour rates the Norway international highly and suggests Arsenal may be thinking about a permanent deal.

“He’s gone out on loan last year and played really well. I think Mikel Arteta has looked at that and thought we can nurture him a little bit more, improve him a little bit more,” Parlour told talkSPORT.

“If he does well when he gets his opportunity, I’m sure at the end of the season they’ll try get a deal done with Real Madrid to sign him and he could be another good youngster going forward.”

TBR’s View:

It’s going to be a new challenge for Odegaard coming to the Premier League, but he’s linked up with an Arsenal team that are in form and moving up the table.

He’ll hope for a Gunners debut this weekend against Manchester United and he’s joining a crop of exciting young players at the club alongside the likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

It’ll be interesting to see how manager Mikel Arteta now gets the best out of the on-loan Madrid star.