Jurgen Klopp has admitted Martin Odegaard has become an even better player than he predicted when he tried to sign him as a teenage wonderkid.
Odegaard burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old when he made his debut in the Norwegian top-flight. Understandably, the hype surrounding the young midfielder went into overdrive and he was quickly touted as a target for some of the biggest clubs in the world.
Just a year after his debut, Odegaard signed for Real Madrid - but only after turning down Klopp when he was at Borussia Dortmund. The now Liverpool boss has revealed he held talks with the player and his family during the early days of his career, before he ultimately joined Los Blancos.
“I really like him. It’s easy these days. It was a bit more difficult at the start of his career when he was at Real Madrid. Then it looked like it might not go his way. I was really disappointed by that, because we wanted him in Dortmund when he was very young,” he told TV2 via Sport Witness.
“We had a long conversation when he was still a boy, together with his father. In the end he decided on Madrid, and that’s fine, but that’s why I’ve always followed him.”
Odegaard would go on to struggle in the Spanish capital, with his promise now finally being realised in the Premier League with Arsenal. The Norway skipper was signed - initially on loan - by the Gunners, before his deal became permanent and he was made the club captain.
Before that move was confirmed, Odegaard and Klopp were spotted chatting on the Emirates pitch after a clash between the two sides in 2021., sparking suggestions he could reignite that interest.
And ahead of Liverpool making the trip to capital again next weekend, Klopp says he has kept an eye on Odegaard’s progression over the years, but is pleased for over his former target's progression, rather than harbouring any lingering regrets.
“It is very, very impressive. You can only imagine how many talents, huge talents, ‘crazy’ talents, I have seen over the course of quite a while in this industry,” Klopp added. “At the time, Martin was 15 years old and already playing in Norway. The whole world went berserk.
“Until he was 15, he probably experienced no hardship. After that, a lot of things went against him. It makes him the person he is now, the man he is now, and the player he is now.
“I’m really happy that he has now become the player we all expected him to become. In fact, even better than that, if you will. He plays a massive role in an incredibly strong Arsenal team.
“He’s still young, clear in his head, very influential. I honestly can’t say anything negative about him. Really a top player.”
