Martin Odegaard once called Liverpool his 'dream club' before Arsenal move

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard once admitted Liverpool was his dream club and trained at the club's former training ground as a teenager before choosing Real Madrid in 2015

Martin Odegaard once dreamed of playing for Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)

Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard once confessed that Liverpool was his dream club.

The Reds are set to face off against Arsenal, the Premier League leader, at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday, with the Gunners holding a 14-point lead over Arne Slot's players after just 20 matches.

At the helm of Mikel Arteta's squad will be the in-form Odegaard, who could pose a significant challenge for Liverpool, having been involved in three goals in his last three appearances. However, there was a time when the Norwegian maestro might have opted to ply his trade at Anfield, given the mutual admiration between him and the club.

In his early teens, Odegaard was one of the most sought-after young talents in the world, drawing interest from many of Europe's top clubs, including Liverpool.

He even spent several days training with the first team and exploring the facilities at Melwood, Liverpool's former training ground, in December 2014.

The then-15-year-old prodigy, who had just become the youngest player ever to participate in a European Championship qualifier, was contemplating which club to join from Stromsgodset at the time, alongside his father.

Arne Slot will try to stop Odegaard's current club, Arsenal, on Thursday(Image: Getty Images)

Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund, Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich, and Arsene Wenger at Arsenal all courted the young star, eager to secure his signature for their respective clubs.

Ultimately, Odegaard chose Real Madrid ahead of Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool. This came after he had revealed to Sport Bild in 2014: "Liverpool have always been my dream club, but I will not let this affect my decision when I choose a new club.

"It's all about finding the team that is best for me and for my development. That is not necessarily Liverpool. I haven't really thought about my future yet.

"I will end the season here and then visit a number of clubs. I have not made a final decision yet, though. Of course, it's flattering when you hear that big clubs are after you, but I don't think about it too often."

As the January 2015 transfer window drew to a close, Odegaard was confirmed as a Los Blancos signing. Yet he managed only 11 first-team outings, finding it difficult to establish himself in the star-studded squad while featuring 62 times for the Castilla side in the Spanish capital.

Throughout his six-year spell with Los Blancos, he enjoyed temporary stints in the Netherlands with Herenveen and Vitesse Arnhem before joining Real Sociedad on loan, where he lifted the Copa del Rey in 2019/20.

His impressive displays for the Basque outfit caught the eye of newly-appointed Arsenal manager Arteta, thanks to the Spaniard's links with Sociedad.

He initially arrived at Arsenal on a short-term loan deal in 2021, but he secured a permanent switch that summer, flourishing in London ever since and being handed the captain's armband in 2022.