Any doubts whether a young Martin Odegaard could shoulder the responsibility of the captain's armband for Arsenal have been erased in half a season after he guided them to the top of the Premier League with a seven-point lead.
Odegaard, who turned 24 last month, has been Arsenal's most influential player this season, oozing confidence in midfield and fuelling the club's first real title challenge in years.
"Martin Odegaard knows what he's doing before this ball comes ... A lot of people don't see that pass, he's probably the only player on the pitch who sees that," said Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson. The Norway international is not averse to dropping deep to help out the defence, be it by providing an escape route under pressure from the opponents' press or by getting his socks dirty in winning the ball back.
"I was desperate to sign him , fortunately, he is here now. He really is like a young Cesc Fabregas," Wenger told TV2.