Martin Odegaard is once again generating transfer talk, but Real Sociedad are confident that the Real Madrid-owned midfielder will be on their books next season as part of a two-year loan agreement.
The Norwegian youngster saw another move away from Santiago Bernabeu sanctioned in the summer of 2019.
Having impressed in the Netherlands with Heerenveen and Vitesse, his latest switch allowed him to start proving a point in Spain. With just two competitive appearances for Madrid, those in Sociedad were happy to offer the 21-year-old midfielder a La Liga stage on which to showcase his talent.
That opportunity was snapped up prior to a coronavirus-enforced break, with Odegaard doing enough to suggest that he could be drafted back into the Blancos’ fold.
It has also been reported that a number of sides across Europe are mulling over bids for a man who burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old, while Madrid may look to use him as a makeweight in efforts to bring in their own top transfer targets.
Sociead, though, remain confident that Odegaard will be back at Anoeta in 2020-21, with the club’s sporting director quick to quash rumours of an alternative deal being done.
Roberto Olabe told Marca: “Martin decided to come to us after having an agreement with Leverkusen. I imagine that he liked what he heard and saw, and I understand that it's going to be similar now.
“We have to let him express himself, not just as a player, but as a person too.”
Olabe added: “We've had a special relationship with Real Madrid for some time. There is an open conversation and they know how Martin is and what he's thinking.
“I'm moderately optimistic from what I see on Martin's face. I have a lot of confidence in him, not just as a player, but how he is. I'm more worried about Martin than Madrid.”
Odegaard, in what is his first season as a regular in the Spanish top-flight, has impressed across the 2019-20 campaign by registering seven goals and eight assists in all competitions. Those efforts have come on the back of a 2018-19 campaign at Vitesse which saw record a number of personal bests and find the target on 11 occasions.
