The Premier League 2025/26 campaign will be extremely crucial for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta as this could be the make-or-break season for the Spaniard.
The Gunners finished in second place for three consecutive seasons and yet they haven’t done enough to win the league crown. Therefore, they have backed Arteta with some exceptional signings this summer.
Recently, Arsenal legend Tony Adams was extremely critical of club captain Martin Odegaard after the Norwegian midfielder had a quiet season.
Adams has nominated Declan Rice to be the Arsenal captain and believes that under the English midfielder, the Gunners could go on to win the Premier League title.
Arteta was asked about Adams’ suggestion ahead of their Premier League clash against Manchester United. He told the media “My opinion is clear. It’s not just my opinion, it’s all the staff and especially the players. I asked them to vote the captain, and I got the result yesterday. And by a mile, by a big, big 100 marks, everybody’s choosing the same person, which is Martin Odegaard. That’s the clearest sign you can have of how they feel about who has to be their captain to defend, improve and win the matches that we want to win.”
Arteta revealed that there has been a refresh in the club’s leadership group leading to a lot of changes in the roster. “We change a lot, and we change all the leadership groups because a lot of the players that were there, they are gone. So, we need to re-establish that, and it gives you so much information, how they feel about themselves and who they see as a leader. It was really interesting to analyze all the data and gather that information.”
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Odegaard has been the Arsenal captain since 2022 and has seen the club finish second in all three occasions. However, he has been one of the most consistent players under Arteta and his leadership and composure have been lauded multiple times in the past.
Despite all the criticism, Odegaard will continue to lead Arsenal in their opening league encounter against United at Old Trafford this Sunday.
Why did Tony Adams nominate Declan Rice as Arsenal captaincy candidate?
Adams, who has won four Premier League titles with Arsenal believe that Rice is just a better leader and could inspire his teammates to push for the elusive Premier League title.
The former defender is impressed with Odegaard’s skill and quality as a player, but he believes the Norwegian lacks the cutting edge needed in a leader of a winning team.
“He’s got a really big call to make this year and for me he hasn’t done it,” Adams told the Indo Sport podcast.
“The call is to make Declan Rice the captain. I think Declan is my kind of captain, and it might free Odegaard up to play with a bit more freedom.
“Every now and again as a manager, you have to put someone who reflects you, who reflects the football club that you think can actually take you to the next level.”
Apart from captaincy, Odegaard faced a lot of criticism last season for his underwhelming performances as he featured in 45 matches and returned with six goals and 11 assists.
Arsenal fans will hope that their club captain bounces back in the 2025/26 campaign as they desperately need him to be at his best to win the league crown.
