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QPR midfielder Stefan Johansen has revealed that he encouraged Norway teammate Martin Odegaard to join Arsenal on loan from Real Madrid in January.
Johansen moved himself in the winter transfer window, joining the R's on loan from Premier League club Fulham, but it seems that was not the only deal that he was involved with.
Odegaard signed with Arsenal until the end of the 2020/21 campaign at the end of January leaving the Bernebeu after seeing few opportunities through the first half of the season.
In an interview with Norweigan outfit TV 2, Johansen revealed he advised the 22-year-old when he was deciding whether to make the switch to the Emirates.
He said: "We talked when it became relevant with Arsenal. I told him it was an exciting transition. It seems that Arteta is betting a lot on the young players.
"You have, for example, Saka and several young boys who have been given the chance. I hope he gets off to a really good start there."
Both Odegaard and Johansen seem to have settled well at their respective new clubs, while you feel the pair may both have a decision to make in the summer concerning their future.
The Real Madrid loanee's current deal runs until 2023, which means it will cost the Gunners a fairly substantial fee to sign him permanently in the summer.
Johansen, on the other hand, has just a year and a half left on his deal and may be keen to join the R's permanently - particularly if Fulham remain a Premier League side.
The Verdict
Arsenal fans will no doubt love to hear that Johansen encouraged Odegaard to join the Gunners in January.
Both players seem to have settled well with their new clubs and it's going to be interesting to see how things develop at the end of the season.
You feel there'll be many among the Emirates faithful hoping that Odegaard's Norweigan teammate convinces him to make his stay permanent.
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