Declan Rice responds to Martin Odegaard’s Arsenal training ground message

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard shared a social media update as he and his teammates returned to pre-season training, captioning an Instagram post "Back to work" with behind-the-scenes training images. The post received supportive reactions from teammates including Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, and Leandro Trossard.

This return follows a frustrating 2023/24 season for Odegaard, marked by injuries and inconsistent performances that yielded only six goals across all competitions (three in the Premier League). His displays, particularly a perceived lack of leadership in key matches like the Champions League semi-final against PSG, led some fans to question his captaincy role. The season was challenging for Arsenal overall, finishing second in the Premier League for the third consecutive year.

Despite his club struggles, Odegaard showed flashes of his best form for Norway during the summer World Cup qualifiers, potentially providing a confidence boost for the new campaign. Meanwhile, Arsenal have strengthened their midfield with the signings of Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi, and retain interest in Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze. A deal for Eze could increase competition for Odegaard's position, especially given the lingering questions about his performances.

While Leandro Trossard showed support for Odegaard's post, his own future at Arsenal is uncertain. Entering the final year of his contract, Trossard has attracted interest from Bayern Munich. Talks over a new Arsenal deal, initiated in May, have since stalled. Although a reliable squad player since joining from Brighton, Arsenal might consider selling him this summer if they receive a strong offer to avoid losing him for free next year.