I was really close to choosing Arsenal when I was younger. I was having steak with Arsene Wenger and thought, Is he going to judge me if I eat the fries?' Martin Odegaard on almost joining Arsenal as a teenager

"Yes, it was a strange experience, Odegaard tells FourFourTwo. I was 15 years old and all of a sudden flying around in private jets, meeting top managers and players. It was nice, too. I felt like I was living the dream. I'd always wanted to play for the biggest clubs, in the biggest leagues and suddenly I was there."

"I was actually really close to choosing Arsenal, he admits. I trained at London Colney, and Arsene Wenger took me and my dad out for dinner. I kept telling myself, It's Arsene Wenger' I grew up watching him on TV, and then suddenly I was sitting across from him eating steak. I remember thinking, Is he going to judge me if I eat the fries? Should I eat them or not?'"

Martin Odegaard made his senior debut for Stromsgodset at 15 and became the Tippeligaen's youngest goalscorer. A transfer scramble followed, with Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal all showing interest while his father managed much of the business. Real Madrid secured him for a €4 million fee and he became the club's youngest-ever player. He experienced sudden high-profile travel and meetings with top managers and players. A personal meeting and dinner with Arsène Wenger left a strong impression. Odegaard later completed a move to Arsenal in 2021.

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