Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard is reportedly “open” to a move to Bayern Munich in an unexpected twist which will cut deep for Mikel Arteta.

Bayern have been credited as long-term admirers of Arsenal’s captain, who has been hailed as one of Europe’s most effective attacking midfielders for years. The perennial Bundesliga champions could have a vacancy to fill in the final third next season as the prominence of Serge Gnabry (formerly of Arsenal himself) continues to diminish and Ødegaard would neatly slot in.

While previous links have always been spurious, there is “new momentum” in these latest reports thanks to Ødegaard’s supposed willingness to play in Bavaria, per Sky Germany.

There’s less than two years left on Ødegaard’s contract and, at 27, his next deal could very well be the biggest he ever signs in his career. Arsenal are thought to be keen on delivering those terms, but the Gunners are already in the midst of Declan Rice’s lucrative renewal.

Intriguingly, Bayern aren’t driving this interest, with the Bavarians content to bide their time amid Ødegaard’s contractual uncertainty. The fact that Arsenal’s star man is billed as open to leaving the reigning Premier League champions during their current spell of success will serve as a dagger to the heart of Arteta and his grand ambitions in north London.

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Arteta’s Ultimate Goal for Arsenal Hits First Stumbling Block

After scaling the peak of the Premier League last season, Arteta was not content to admire the view. All he could see was more heights to hit.

“It’s certainly the ambition of the club and the owners to be the best club in the world,” Arteta declared ahead of the current campaign. It took Arsenal 22 years to even be considered the best team in England but, thanks largely to the feverish ambition of their omnipotent manager, the club is set up to build upon that success.

Ødegaard is part of a core of star players very much in their prime years. There may be limitations to the attacking fluency that the frontline can conjure, but the defensive solidity instilled by Arteta has provided the foundations for a team with a very high floor and a ceiling that can still be raised.

Arteta wants “the best facilities, the best stadium, the best supporters” as well as “the best players in the world.” Crucially, the best clubs in the world do not sell their best players.

The likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and, pointedly, Bayern Munich, would never consider losing their captain at his peak, especially if he was the one driving for the exit. It’s not yet clear to what extent—if any—Ødegaard will go in his desire for a move to Bavaria, but even the whispers of this intent will undermine Arteta’s ambition of turning Arsenal into one of the true elite.

Odegaard Is the Ultimate Arteta Player Arsenal Can’t Afford to Lose

What makes this twist all the more painful is Ødegaard’s status as arguably Arteta’s most trusted lieutenant. Gabriel may be the defensive rock, Rice the engine in midfield and Bukayo Saka the lauded ‘star boy,’ but it is the impish skipper who serves as Arteta’s embodiment on the pitch.

Ødegaard is utterly fundamental to everything the team does on and off the ball. Arsenal’s chief creative force who has discovered his taste for goal this term is arguably even more influential out of possession by leading the press.

The 2–1 victory over Leeds United offered a recent example of how Ødegaard is not blindly scampering around the final third. The cerebral midfielder spotted the tactical inefficiency of Arsenal’s setup during the heat of battle—a reluctance to commit from Ben White and Saka constantly gave Leeds space down the left flank—and convinced his teammates to hurriedly correct the error of their ways.

Beyond the white lines, Ødegaard takes his duties as club captain incredibly seriously. The Norway international is the first player to reach out to new recruits and the last to remain in contact with those who have left the club. Whether it’s offering advice over houses, schools or how to not giggle during Arteta’s more eccentric team talks, Ødegaard is the point of reference. But for how much longer?