OFFICIAL: Arsenal Names Martin Odegaard As The New Club's Captain Ahead Of 2022/23 Season..

Arsenal has officially confirmed that Martin Odegaard will captain the team ahead of the 2022/2023 season.

The former Real Madrid midfielder joined the North London club side in January 2021, initially on a loan deal as he struggled for regular football at the Bernabeu.

His impressive performance in his first six months as a Gunner, prompted Arsenal's boss Mikel Arteta to sign him on a permanent deal worth £30 million ($41m) in the summer of that year.

Manager Arteta had also captained the side as a player from 2014-16.

Asenal announced this new development in an official statement on Saturday, shortly before kick-off of their last pre-season friendly against Sevilla at the Emirates.

“We are delighted to announce that Martin Odegaard has been named our new men’s first-team captain.

“The 23-year-old has made a huge impact since arriving at Emirates Stadium from Real Madrid in January 2021, initially on loan, and has gone on to play 60 times, scoring nine goals,” it read in part.

The Gunners midfielder becomes the  youngest player to captain the team since Cesc Fabregas at age 21.

He takes over from Alexandre Lacazette after the striker's departed to French club side Lyon.

The likes of Kieran Tierney, Grant Xhaka and Aaron Ramsdale were all reportedly touted as possible candidates for the captaincy, but it's Odegaard that Arteta has turned to.

Odegaard is not new to his new role, as he has been captain of the Norway national team since March 2011, whom he has won 43 caps for.

List of Arsenal captains in the Premier League era so far;

Players               From/to

Tony Adams - 1988-2002

Patrick Vieira - 2002-2005

Thierry Henry - 2005-2007

William Gallas - 2007-2008

Cesc Fabregas - 2008-2011

Robin van Persie - 2011-2012

Thomas Vermaelen - 2012-14

Mikel Arteta - 2014-2016

Per Mertesacker - 2016-2018

Laurent Koscielny - 2018-2019

Granit Xhaka - 2019

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 2019-2021

Alexandre Lacazette - 2022

Martin Odegaard  - 2022