“Odegaard wins Arsenal captaincy vote by a landslide – Arteta”

Tony Adams said England midfielder Declan Rice, 26, should be captain this season to give Arsenal a better chance of winning their first Premier League since 2004.

But Mikel Arteta explained that Martin Odegaard, 26, was the clear choice after players and staff voted.

“My opinion is clear, but it’s not just mine — it’s also the staff and, most importantly, the players,” said the Arsenal manager.

“I asked them to vote for the captain and got the result yesterday. By a huge margin, everyone picked Martin Odegaard. That shows clearly who they believe should lead the team.”

Odegaard has been Arsenal’s captain since 2022, but the club has not won a trophy under his leadership, finishing second in the league in each of the past three seasons.

This summer the Gunners spent about £190m to try to win their first major trophy since the FA Cup in 2020, which came in Arteta’s first season.

One of their key signings is £64m striker Viktor Gyokeres. Arteta said the club is working hard to help the 27-year-old Swede settle after his move from Sporting and deliver the goals they need.

“We will do everything to help him,” Arteta added. “First we need to understand the player and give him the right conditions to show his potential. Many strikers from other leagues have succeeded here, and we believe Viktor can do the same. Our job is to create the right environment for him to score goals.”