Martin Odegaard is one of Real Madrid’s ‘untouchables’ and ‘will NOT be sold this summer’ in blow to Arsenal as LaLiga giants draw up list of stars to offload – including Isco and Bale – to fund moves for Mbappe or Haaland
- Real Madrid have categorically ruled out selling Martin Odegaard this summer
- The club want to raise money to fund summer moves for Haaland or Mbappe
- Odegaard is one of Madrid’s ‘untouchables’ and won’t be offloaded by the club
- Madrid will however try to sell high earners Gareth Bale and Isco if they can
- The other ‘untouchables’ are Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Federico Valverde
Martin Odegaard has reportedly not been named as one of the players Real Madrid will try to offload in a bid to fund mega-money moves for either Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland.
Arsenal had been hoping to make Odegaard a permanent signing this summer after impressing Mikel Arteta during his loan spell but Marca claim the midfielder is one of Madrid’s ‘untouchables’ and will not be sold.
Madrid want to get rid of any dead wood this summer in a bid to raise funds for long-term targets Mbappe and Haaland, but Odegaard, Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde are four players they are not prepared to listen to offers for.
Real Madrid have categorically ruled out selling Martin Odegaard (far right), report Marca
That will come as a huge blow for Arsenal, whose optimism about signing Odegaard had been growing with reports earlier this month claiming that the Norwegian might be one of the players to be sacrificed so the club can afford to carry out their transfer plans.
However, that appears not to be the case with the same Spanish publication reporting that Madrid have drawn up a list of players they will look to sell, which includes high-earners Gareth Bale, Isco and Marcelo.
Fringe players Alvaro Odriozola, Mariano Diaz and Luka Jovic are also expected to be offered out to other clubs.
Odegaard doesn’t have the best of relationships with current boss Zinedine Zidane after being shipped out on loan again this term, but Madrid do not want the 22-year-old to go because he is considered a ‘key piece’ of the the club’s future.
The Norway international had also attracted the attention of several other clubs around Europe, having performed well for Arsenal and scored two times for them from his 13 games.
Another player Madrid see as vital to their future is Vinicius and will categorically reject any offers for the Brazilian this summer, having already had a number of clubs come forward expressing interest.
Vinicius played a starring role in helping Madrid see off Liverpool to reach the Champions League semi-final this month after bagging a brace in their first-leg 3-1 win before the goalless stalemate at Anfield.
The LaLiga giants will also rebuff any attempts to sign star players Thibaut Courtois, Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema.
Sergio Ramos and Lucas Vazquez’s situations are more complicated with both of their contracts up in the summer and negotiations being dragged out.
Both are high earners and their exits would help Madrid get their wage bill down but the club are understood to be keen on retaining them and hopeful of reaching an agreement before the summer.
