Arsenal Dismiss Galatasaray Claims Over Odegaard Deal

Fresh reports from Turkey suggesting Martin Odegaard was on his way to Galatasaray have been swiftly rubbished by the Arsenal camp.

Turkish journalist Selman Ozturk claimed the Gunners captain had already reached terms with the Turkish outfit, with his agent Bjorn Kvarme having visited Istanbul to finalize personal details. Galatasaray, according to Ozturk, were targeting a fee below €40m (£34m) or would consider a long-term payment structure.

Arsenal's response has been unequivocal. Club sources speaking to Goal flatly denied the suggestion, stating plainly that "there is no truth to the links between the midfielder and the Turkish club."

Football.London added further clarity to the narrative, noting that while Odegaard's representative had indeed been in Istanbul, this was actually to support the Norway international's commitments at the World Cup. The midfielder is said to be in excellent spirits at the Emirates and thoroughly content with his surroundings following a Premier League title-winning campaign under Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners lifted their first league crown in 22 years last term and subsequently reached the Champions League final, providing the financial firepower to strengthen their squad this summer. Such resources have naturally sparked speculation about potential departures, with Odegaard, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Martinelli all mentioned as possible exits.

However, insiders close to the player have made clear his satisfaction with life in North London, both in terms of his performances and his standing within Arteta's setup.

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has suggested that if Arsenal were to entertain selling Odegaard, there would be no shortage of suitors. "Clubs would be queuing up for him," Merson remarked, highlighting the midfielder's creative importance to any team requiring pace in their attacking play.

Former Manchester United scout Mick Brown, meanwhile, believes a departure remains possible. He pointed to Odegaard's early-season brilliance linking with Bukayo Saka before injury disrupted that understanding, suggesting the midfielder could feasibly move on—though he stopped short of declaring it imminent.