Morgan Rogers in, Martin Odegaard out? Ex-Arsenal midfielder reacts to surprising transfer talk raging around Gunners captain & Aston Villa playmaker

Odegaard hoisted the English top-flight trophy aloft in May as a 22-year wait for domestic dominance was brought to a close by the red half of north London. On the back of three consecutive runners-up finishes, Arsenal finally fended off the threat of Manchester City, Liverpool and Co.

Wild celebrations have taken place, with a Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain only dampening those spirits slightly, with the plan being to establish an era of tangible success under the tutelage of Spanish tactician Arteta.

A star-studded squad appears well placed to hit that target, but any ambitious outfit must strive for constant improvement. That means reinforcing the collective ranks in each passing window, with big money available as the signatures of more proven performers are sought.

It has been suggested that Odegaard, despite being skipper, could be among those moved on in a bid to free up funds and roster space - with there only two years left to run on the 27-year-old’s contract, while recent injury issues need to be factored into the equation.

Quizzed on whether he could see the Norwegian being offloaded, five-and-a-half years on from his initial arrival in a loan agreement with Real Madrid, Schwarz - speaking in association with Betinia - told GOAL: “I think you want to keep good players in your team.

“Especially for the manager or the coach, they want to have the best options to win trophies and have successful seasons. I think he’ll be a part of the team and the squad for another year.

“Sometimes it's not always about money, it's better to have sporting success. And if you have that, then of course it's a better situation with the finances. If they win next season, if it goes well, of course his value will be higher as well. And if you play for a winning team, you will be a hot property in the transfer market maybe next year.”

Arsenal’s stance on the departures front could be impacted by arrivals, with top targets said to have been identified. Villa talisman Rogers reportedly figures prominently on that list, although the talented 23-year-old is said to come with a £130 million ($172m) price tag.

If another record-breaking deal were to be done there, could Odegaard be sacrificed to make room for an elaborate purchase? Schwarz added when that question was put to him: “I don't think Odegaard, no. But of course you have to balance the finances. You need to be sensible and sustainable as a club.

“But if you only look for the success of the football club on the pitch, I would think Odegaard will stay. And of course as a title winner and a champion, when you want to buy something, you have to pay a little bit more than someone else.

“You need to have one or two players in each position for sure. And if they are looking into it, then they know what they are missing, or maybe not missing but what they want to add to get stronger. And you have to be proactive and sometimes you have to take these options before you need it and get them rolling.

“He's [Rogers] a proven player in the Premier League and I like him a lot. He's a tremendous player and we saw what he did at Aston Villa. He's a good player that could be a good asset.

“I don't know if Arsenal need to sell someone. But if they have to balance the finances, then they have to look into it as well. Because you need to get new players as well into a dressing room for a new season to shape new dynamics, so not everyone gets comfortable where they were last year. You always have to trigger the players to perform better and to know that there's competition about each place and position to perform.”

Arsenal will be stepping up their pre-season preparations over the coming weeks, ahead of a Community Shield clash with Manchester City on August 16 and a 2026-27 campaign-opening home date with newly-promoted Coventry on August 21.

A number of their players remain on World Cup duty for now - including Odegaard - while Rogers forms part of England’s plans at that tournament and would not be freed to discuss any transfer business until the Three Lions’ quest for global glory comes to a close.