Martin Odegaard fires back at Arsenal legend over criticism - 'I don't care'

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has insisted he "doesn't care" about comments from club legend Tony Adams claiming he should be stripped of the armband and replaced by Declan Rice .

Odegaard was appointed Gunners skipper in the summer of 2022 but has faced criticism over his suitability for the role as Arsenal push for more silverware. Adams is one of the most famous captains in the club's history as he led the club to four league titles and five domestic cups.

The club have finished as runners up in the Premier League table in the last three consecutive seasons and iconic former defender Adams claimed earlier this summer that Rice should be named captain instead to "take the club to the next level".

"He's got a really big call to make this year and for me he hasn't done it,' he said. "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."

But Odegaard was unmoved when the quotes were put to him over the international break, insisting he doesn't pay attention to criticism and doesn't let it affect him.

"I don’t care that much, to be honest," he said at a press conference ahead of Norway's clash against Moldova. "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."

The playmaker added: "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."

Odegaard has played a total of 201 times for the Gunners, scoring an impressive 41 goals, and is held in high regard by many of his team-mates - with manager Mikel Arteta insisting he is chosen to be captain by his fellow players every year.

When Adams' claims about Odegaard were mentioned to the Spaniard, he said: "By a mile away, by a big, big 100 miles, everybody was choosing the same person - Martin Odegaard - which is the most clear sign that you can have.

"It's how they feel about who has to be their captain to defend, improve and win the matches that we want to win, so there’s no question about that. There is (a vote) every year especially because we change (personnel) a lot and we change the leadership groups because a lot of the players that were there are now gone.

"A lot of people talk and shout and then when you close the door they do something very different. Martin doesn't need to open his mouth and everybody will go, 'He's my captain, I want him to represent me, I trust him 100 per cent, he's the guy I want to have next to me.’ That's it in my opinion."

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