Arsenal player likened to Tottenham legend by the ex-Spurs scout who discovered him

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard shares similar traits to Tottenham Hotspur legend Glenn Hoddle.

That is the opinion of former senior Tottenham scout, Bryan King, speaking exclusively to Football Insider.

The 27-year-old has started the season in excellent form, already having outscored his tally from last season across all competitions.

Odegaard has struggled with injuries throughout the last two years, but looks to have finally returned to his best for Arsenal.

The comparison to Hoddle is high praise and one that Tottenham fans are unlikely to be fond of, with the ex-midfielder considered among the best players in their history.

The Englishman emerged from the academy in North London and would go on to spend 12 years playing for Tottenham's senior team, scoring 110 goals in 490 appearances.

Martin Odegaard makes football 'look too easy'

Hoddle is widely considered among the best English players of all time, as well as one of the best Tottenham have ever seen.

He would make 53 appearances for the national team, making his debut in 1979 and scoring eight goals in the years that followed.

After Tottenham, the midfielder went to feature under future Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger at Monaco, winning the league title before returning to England with Swindon Town and Chelsea.

"It looks too easy, doesn't it? You're not going to get tough tackling. He's just like Glenn Hoddle," King told Football Insider when asked about Odegaard.

"When he was playing here [Norway], I mean, there was, in the old press box, we used to sit in the old press box at Drammen. You had to be early to get your ticket, I can tell you," King added.

"The club had to put it in because there'd be 15 or 20 clubs at every game. And that was Holland, Germany, Spain, Italy, England, all the major clubs. The first deal that was done for him to go to Real Madrid was to include his father working with the youth team.

"That never materialised. But he was still associated, so he was virtually living with his son in Spain or in Madrid. They've got some clothes shops in this part of the country. They had one in Kolbotn, they had one in Drammen."

What has Glenn Hoddle said about Odegaard?

Odegaard will hope to continue in the rich vein of form he has started the season in, with it vital that he avoids injuries.

Hoddle's quality was seen over several years and the Norwegian will hope for a similar longevity.

"Odegaard is now playing the best I have seen him play. He’s actually playing how he wants to play," the ex-Tottenham man said in 2022.

"He is actually selecting [his passes]. ‘I am not hitting that pass. I am going to do something special’. And he is really at the top of his game.”