Much-sought after Norwegian youngster Martin Odegaard has decided to join Real Madrid, his current Stromsgodset teammate Martin Ovenstad has suggested.
Odegaard, who just recently turned 16 but is already a senior international with his country, was reportedly courted through recent months by a long list of top European clubs including, but not limited to, Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Southampton and Ajax.
The midfielder spent some time training with Madrid in early January, but had also spent time at other clubs including Bayern and Liverpool as he and his representatives considered his next step.
Widespread recent speculation both in Norway and Spain has claimed that a deal for around four million euros has already been agreed by all parties, and should be finalised before the end of the current January transfer window.
Midfielder Ovenstad, 20, appeared to confirm the move when speaking on Norwegian TV 2.
"Last week Martin was training with us, and the next week he was training with Cristiano Ronaldo," he said. "We have to pinch ourselves. It will be nice to be able to tell my grandkids that I played in the same team as Martin Odegaard."
Odegaard's friend also said that Cristiano Ronaldo had joked with the teenager about him taking over the goalscoring mantle at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu when Ronaldo left the scene.
"He told me that he had a chat with Cristiano, who told him: "In a few years I will stop scoring so many goals, and you will have to score them instead'," Ovenstad said. "He has promised to come and visit us on his holidays. And the other way too. When you have a friend playing at Madrid, you have to go and visit them."