Arsenal have enjoyed a busy start to the summer transfer window, and if Mikel Arteta wants to welcome any more new faces then the Gunners will have to trim down their squad
Martin Odegaard has claimed that it’s a joy to play with new signings Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz. The trio made their debuts for Arsenal in a pre-season friendly against the MLS All-Stars on Thursday morning, waltzing away 5-0 victors.
Gabriel Jesus broke the deadlock in the opening five minutes before Leandro Trossard doubled the Gunners’ lead just moments later. After a hop, skip and jump, Jorginho buried a penalty shortly into the second-half.
Then, in the dying embers of the tie, Gabriel Martinelli caught the American outfit on the counter-attack and extended Arsenal’s lead to four before Havertz scored his first goal for the club with a fantastic volley. Despite a rampant five-goal thrashing of the MLS All-Stars, Odegaard has insisted that the north Londoners still have plenty of work to do before the Premier League kicks off next month.
In an interview with the official club website, the 24-year-old said: “Yeah it was good. I think it was a mixed performance. We had some good periods and some not-so-good periods. It was a bit messy at time, but five good goals and a win so it was a good one.”
On the atmosphere, Odegaard added: “Yeah it was brilliant. It’s nice to see the reception we get here. We feel the love from the guys here, we felt it last year, we had such a good time then, and the same this year. I want to say thank you to all of them and I’m happy we gave them a decent performance.
“We still have so many things to improve, we can get a lot better so it’s very early,” said the Norway international. “We are getting more and more fit, I think the rhythm will come, so it’s good so far.”
Then, when asked how Rice, Timber and Havertz have settled, the Norway international said
: “Yeah brilliant, all of them. They are already a part of the team, already a part of the family and you saw on the pitch today the quality they have so it’s a pleasure to have them here and a joy to play with them.”
Arsenal have still more games to play in he United States this month before returning to London Colney to continue pre-season preparations. The Gunners will lock horns with Manchester United on Saturday night, July 22, before facing Barcelona in the early hours of the morning on July 27.
