Zinedine Zidane really didn’t want Martin Odegaard on Real Madrid’s pre-season tour, it seems.
The Norwegian midfielder had just turned 16 when he signed for Madrid in January 2015 from Strømsgodset. Odegaard had been scouted a number of Europe’s top clubs, and was considered to have the potential to develop into one the best players in the world.
However, despite making his debut as a substitute for Cristiano Ronaldo at the end of the 2015 season, the 17-year-old has been consigned to Madrid’s B and C teams, and his progress appears to have stalled.
It hasn’t been plain sailing at the Bernabeu for the youngster.
Former Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti claimed Odegaard was signed as a publicity stunt by club president Florentio Perez, and the club have made the player available for loan.
Now, according to The Daily Mail’s Pete Jenson, Zidane has clashed with Perez over the inclusion of Odegaard on Madrid’s pre-season tour.
Odegaard is required to train with the first-team under the terms of his contract, and with the club keen to find him a club for the upcoming season, Perez reportedly felt it would be beneficial to include the player on the club’s tour of North America.
However, Zidane felt there were others from the club’s B team more deserving of a place with the first-team, and is understood to have voiced his displeasure at the decision.
This is the first major disagreement between Zidane and Perez, and the former France midfielder reportedly considers Odegaard’s inclusion to be an intrusion by Perez.
