"Odegaard could be an embarrassment like Suarez" – Smith

The Gunners

are making a short-term deal that will get them the Norwegian midfielder.

He is not the first loan transfer from La Liga heavyweights recently. Dani Ceballos, who has a deal with Real, is spending the second season at Emirates Stadium.

Before Ceballos, Spain international Suarez, who played in just six games for

the Gunners

, was welcomed in from Barcelona in January 2019.

Alan Smith

hopes the same doesn't happen with

Odegaard

while the he has tried to complete his potential, especially in Madrid.

Smith

replied when asked why Arteta is looking to sign a creative player:

“To have another option perhaps. I don’t think he’d walk into the team by any stretch.

“You think back to Denis Suarez who came to the club and physically he just wasn’t ready and then he picked up injuries.

“It was a bit of an embarrassment in the end, so hopefully they will do their homework on Odegaard.

“But they’ve been looking for more creativity. [Emile] Smith Rowe has provided that. They were linked to Christian Eriksen as well the other day. So it’s that kind of player that can make the difference against a deep-lying defence that’s defending in numbers.

“I wouldn’t be expecting him to start many games, somebody that would just dip in and out perhaps.

“But Arsenal have almost got one hand tied behind their back because financially they can’t throw money at it so they’ve got to be fairly creative in getting these loans in. Ceballos has been brought in from Real Madrid, they’ve got that relationship.

“Ceballos has done well during his time at the Emirates I think so hopefully Odegaard could come and he’s got a point to prove and he could add something to what they’ve got.”

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