Martin Ødegaard is having a fine season for Arsenal so far, with the former Real Madrid star being an influential league player in the Premier League and already recording decent stats such as 3 assists so far this season. Ødegaard, at a height of 5 ft 10 in, is happily married to wife Helene Spilling Ødegaard, and he also earns an impressive salary of £240,000 per week. Ødegaard is also popular on Instagram with over 7.1M followers.
This article will look back at Martin Ødegaard's time at Real Madrid, when he was widely seen as one of the most exciting young players in world football.
The Early years of Martin Ødegaard at Real Madrid
Martin Ødegaard’s move to Real Madrid in January 2015 marked one of the most talked-about transfers involving a teenager in modern football. At just 16, the Norwegian prodigy joined from Strømsgodset for a fee reported between €3–4 million, potentially rising with bonuses. Madrid announced that he would train with the first team while mainly playing for the reserve side, Real Madrid Castilla, then coached by Zinedine Zidane. The plan reflected the club’s desire to nurture his talent gradually rather than rush him into the spotlight.
Ødegaard made his unofficial Castilla debut in February 2015 and soon appeared in the club’s Champions League squad, wearing the number 21 shirt. His competitive bow for the reserves followed days later, and he scored his first goal that month with a confident finish against Barakaldo. Despite flashes of brilliance, adapting proved challenging. Balancing training with the senior squad and playing for Castilla, along with a language barrier, affected his rhythm, and he was briefly dropped in April.
Patience paid off when he was named in a La Liga matchday squad and, on 23 May 2015, made history as Madrid’s youngest ever debutant at 16 years and 157 days, replacing Cristiano Ronaldo. Ødegaard became a regular for Castilla in 2015–16 and later earned his first start for the senior team in the Copa del Rey in 2016, completing a significant early chapter of his Madrid journey.
Real Madrid sends Martin Ødegaard on Loan
Real Madrid chose a patient path for Martin Ødegaard’s development, sending him on a series of loans to help him gain experience. In January 2017, the Norwegian joined Dutch side SC Heerenveen on an 18-month deal. Although he had been close to moving to Barcelona, their transfer ban prevented the switch. Ødegaard made his Eredivisie debut soon after, but his early months were difficult, with limited impact and time on the bench. He eventually found his feet, scoring his first goal in May 2017 and becoming a regular starter the following season.
In 2018, he moved on loan to Vitesse, where his progress truly accelerated. Ødegaard enjoyed an outstanding campaign, contributing 11 goals and 12 assists and being voted the club’s player of the year by supporters. His next step came in 2019 with a move to Real Sociedad in La Liga. There he delivered some of the best football of his career, scoring key goals, earning praise for his creativity, and being named La Liga Player of the Month in September 2019. Despite injury interrupting the season, the loan was a major success, preparing him for his return to Madrid in 2020.
Martin Ødegaard’s time at Real Madrid finally came to an end after a decisive loan move to Arsenal in January 2021. Struggling for regular minutes and making only nine appearances in the first half of the season, the Norwegian requested a move in search of consistent first-team football. Arsenal offered that opportunity, and Ødegaard quickly felt drawn to the club’s playing style and long-term vision under manager Mikel Arteta.
He made his debut just days after signing, appearing as a substitute against Manchester United, and soon earned his first start in a win over Leeds United. Ødegaard wasted little time making an impact, scoring his first goal for the club with a superb long-range strike against Olympiacos in the Europa League, a goal later voted Arsenal’s Goal of the Month. Days later, he netted his first Premier League goal in the North London derby against Tottenham and was named Arsenal’s Player of the Month for March 2021. Impressed by his influence and creativity, Arsenal secured his permanent transfer in August 2021 for around €35 million, ending his long and complicated Real Madrid chapter.
