Martin Odegaard’s Dream Club: Liverpool

In 2014, Martin Odegaard, one of Europe’s hottest young talents, had the opportunity to train with Liverpool, his proclaimed “dream club.” At just 15 years old, Odegaard was highly sought after by top clubs such as Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, and Manchester United.

During his whirlwind tour of Europe’s top clubs, Liverpool stood out as a potential destination for Odegaard. As a Reds fan, just like his father, he had a special affinity for the club. In December 2014, Odegaard and his father spent three days in Liverpool, exploring the club’s facilities and training with the first-team at Melwood.

Under the management of Brendan Rodgers at the time, Odegaard had the opportunity to rub shoulders with Liverpool legends such as Steven Gerrard and Philippe Coutinho. Kolo Toure, who was approached outside of Melwood, praised the young midfielder, calling him a “very good player.”

Despite Liverpool’s efforts to secure Odegaard’s signature, he ultimately chose to join Real Madrid in January 2015 for a reported fee of £2.3 million. Although he made his first-team debut at a young age, Odegaard struggled to establish himself at the Bernabeu and was sent on multiple loan spells.

In the summer of 2021, Arsenal made Odegaard’s loan move permanent for an initial fee of £30 million. He has since become a key player and club captain for the Gunners. Liverpool made another approach for Odegaard in 2019 but were unsuccessful in their pursuit.

Looking back, it’s a case of what might have been for Liverpool, as they missed out on the opportunity to sign a talented young player who has now flourished at Arsenal.