Martin Odegaard has ended a decade-plus run with Nike to join Adidas. football.london understands the sportswear brand had shown a great passion in trying to land the Norwegian international and Arsenal captain.

Viewed by Adidas as one of the world’s best midfield conductors, there is a belief that this partnership will elevate both profiles.

Odegaard has endured a challenging season, facing multiple injuries, and despite his absence from the field, his contributions remain strong. Squawka recently published a graphic detailing the top ten Premier League passers into the box this season.

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Odegaard currently ranks ninth with 36 despite appearing for just over 1000 minutes in the league this season. Bruno Fernandes, who ranks first with 65, has played more than double the amount of minutes for comparison.

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Norway qualified for the World Cup, with Odegaard key to their campaign. In fact, he finished the qualifying process with seven assists from five matches, more than any other European player – an assist every 65 minutes.

football.london understands that the skipper is pushing to return this weekend against Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-final. It would be his first appearance since coming on in the North London Derby.

Those with a keen eye will have noticed that Odegaard has already been wearing his new Adidas boots since the turn of the year. In an interview with Soccerbible on the set of an Adidas Predator shoot, he talked about the scrutiny from the outside and how he’s shutting it out.

“I think it’s important to just focus on what you can control,” he said. “Don’t listen too much to the outside world. Listen to the right people, the people around you.”

“In the end, it’s just opinions from people,” he continues. “To me, that’s always been key – to be true to myself, listen to the people around me, and always focus on how I can improve.”

The focus for the Norwegian is now on helping Arsenal claim their first Premier League title in 22 years. He has needed to be patient, but this could be the most defining couple of months of his career to date.