New Arsenal signing already knows his next club after completing summer transfer

Christian Norgaard, who only joined Arsenal in the summer, already has his sights set on a return to Denmark. The former Brentford star sees his future back in his homeland.

Norgaard, 31, moved from Brentford to Arsenal during the transfer window in a deal worth £12 million. The Danish international signed a two-year contract with an option for a third year and the Gunners forked out an initial £10m, with an additional £2m available in add-ons.

The midfielder, who has earned 36 caps for his country, has had a varied career, playing for Lyngby, Hamburger SV, Brondby, and Fiorentina before joining Brentford in 2019. Norgaard spent six seasons with the Bees, captaining the side for two of those years and played a key role in helping the west London club secure promotion to the Premier League and establish themselves in the top-flight.

Despite not yet being utilised by Mikel Arteta in Premier League matches, Norgaard has featured in the Carabao Cup victory over Port Vale and made a brief appearance in the Champions League win against Athletic Bilbao.

With his footballing years advancing, Norgaard is already contemplating a return to Denmark for the final stages of his career. And there's only one team in his home country that he's interested in.

"When I one day return to Denmark, it will be Brondby," he revealed, speaking to Ekstra Bladet. "Brondby is a club that I developed a special connection to when I played for the club. That's why I can't see myself playing for other Danish clubs."

Norgaard has also revealed that the Gunners will be his final destination outside of Denmark.

Speaking to Danish publication Bold, Norgaard said: "I can guarantee that Arsenal will be my last club abroad.

"I still want to return to Brondby when my contract at Arsenal expires. My contract is two years with an option for a further year.

"I would be happy to stay at Arsenal for the extra year if things develop in that direction. If it turns out that it wasn't the right match, we'll go home to Denmark after two years."

Brentford manager Thomas Frank, who has worked alongside Norgaard throughout his career, expressed his delight at seeing the player secure a move to the top level.

Frank believes it represents an excellent signing for his north London neighbours.

"It was a little emotional," Frank said. "I've known him since he was 15. He's 31 now and I've been training him for 12 years so I can say that I've known him for a pretty long time.

"He's a top player and I can understand why Arsenal went for him," he added. "I'm so happy that he got this great opportunity late in his career."

Story Saved

You can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.