Arsenal to sign Odegaard on permanent deal odds slash after West Ham display

The odds for Arsenal to sign starring midfielder Martin Odegaard on a permanent deal have slashed following a series of exquisite performances.

The Norwegian signed for the Gunners on a six-month loan deal back in January, with many at the time questioning the transfer following the emergence of Emile Smith Rowe.

Odegaard has since proved to be an astute signing, however, with his recent displays against London rivals Tottenham and West Ham raising Arsenal fans' hopes of a summer transfer.

Odegaard, who is still just 22-years-old, has already notched two goals in his 12 outings for Arsenal, of which include his Europa League strike against Olympiacos and a crucial equaliser in the north London derby win over Tottenham.

The youngster was at it once more as Arsenal came from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 at West Ham on Sunday, playing a crucial role in the Gunners' second - a Craig Dawson own goal.

And the fans' hopes of a summer transfer have subsequently received a boost, with the midfielder now at evens to be an Arsenal player at the start of the 2021-22 season, as per Ladbrokes.

That is particularly encouraging for Arsenal, given that the odds were up at 3/1 when he initially joined.

Should Arsenal eventually prove successful in signing Odegaard on a permanent deal, the influence of Mikel Arteta will be crucial.

Following their entertaining draw at the London Stadium, the Spaniard revealed Odegaard has been a leader in the dressing room since he arrived.

'Well, he's showing that I think from week one,' he said. 'The way he steps on the pitch, he always wants the ball, the way he commands the pressing. He's been really influential.'

Interestingly, Arteta also revealed that Odegaard's leadership skills have actually come as a surprise to him, given his quiet demeanor.

'I think we've all been a bit surprised because he looks really shy and humble, but when he steps on that pitch he's a real character and he loves to play football,' he added.

'I think he was very intelligent the way he read the game, the way he affected the game and again he showed how much he wanted to win.

'When everyone was a little trembling he gave us that stability and that composure on the ball and he created chance after chance.

'I love talented and creative players that all the time are willing to take the ball and make that happen, that they are mobile and as well hard working. He is one of them.'

While it remains to be seen whether Arsenal will sign Odegaard - particularly with parent club Real Madrid likely to be watching on with a keen eye - the consensus among the fans is abundantly clear.

Arsenal legend Ian Wright was certainly impressed by his West Ham performance, telling Premier League Productions: 'What you see from him, he is a player that has got unbelievable potential and ability.

'You want to see him in a game where he does the meat and bones.'

'He picks the ball up and does what he does,' Weight continued. 'He is very efficient with it.

'He did it when Arsenal needed him, he chose the right pass so many times today – fantastic performance today.'

Piers Morgan, an Arsenal fan and MailOnline columnist, also made his thoughts apparent.

He wrote: 'This guy just put in a better performance than we saw from (Mesut) Ozil in the past 5yrs. Serious talent, terrific work ethic, great mentality.

'We need to sign him permanently.'