- Adams calls for Rice to be captain
- Arteta sticks by skipper Odegaard
- Norwegian "doesn’t care" about criticism
Last month, former Arsenal captain Adams opined that Declan Rice should be Mikel Arteta’s skipper and not Odegaard. The Gunners manager defended the Norwegian to the hilt and decided to stick with the attacking midfielder for the season ahead. Now, the 26-year-old has had his say on the matter.
He told reporters, “I don’t care that much, to be honest. Everyone can have their opinion and say what they want, and I’m all right with that. I can’t care about what everyone says. There’s a lot of negative and positive things to say, but I can’t let it affect me. That’s what I’ve thought throughout my career.”
Arsenal will need Odegaard to be at his best this season if they are to end their 21-year wait for a Premier League trophy. If the former Real Madrid man doesn’t, the calls for Rice to be captain may grow louder and louder.
Odegaard will hope to return to Arsenal’s first team with a bang when they face Nottingham Forest on Saturday following the conclusion of the international break. Before then, Norway lock horns with Moldova on Tuesday in their next World Cup qualifier.