Madrid signed Odegaard because Bayern told him to stay in Norway
Björn Andersson, Bayern Munich's scout in Scandinavia, added to Fotballskanalen that 'with what they pay him there, who would say no?'Borussia Dortmund vs Bayern Munich live online
Between Novermber and December 2014, Martin Odegaard embarked on a tour of several different European clubs to offer out his precocious talent. The Norwegian, who debuted for his national team at the age of 15, soon reduced his options to two giants: Real Madrid and Bayern.
Bayern told Odegaard to stay in Norway
Ultimately, Odegaard signed for Los Blancos. The reason being, Bayern told him to remain in Norway. ‘We recommended that he stayed there for at least one more year, because the club thought that he wasn’t ready yet”, revealed Björn Andersson, Bayern’s scout in Scandinavia.
In an interview with Fotballskanalen, Andersson offered further details about why Odegaard opted for the Bernabéu over Bavaria.
“I spoke with his father many times, but they chose Real Madrid. With what they pay him there, who would say no?”
Bayern scout: 'It's not too late'
The Bayern scout also gave his opinion on Odegaard’s career, which is in danger of petering out. “He needs a new start somewhere else, it’s not yet too late for him…”, he said.
The player, who is still only 18, is under contract at Madrid until 2018, but he has verbally agreed to a renewal for three more years. For that reason, Odegaard left for Heerenveen last summer on an 18-month loan. He has made an uninspiring start in the Netherlands, starting just seven matches.
