ZZ STOP

Zidane call pulled plug on Spurs move for Odegaard

EXCLUSIVE BY JOHN CROSS MARTIN ODEGAARD could have joined Tottenham as a teenager – but for a call from Zinedine Zidane.

Spurs were keen on the Arsenal captain, who has signed a new five-year deal, and chased Odegaard when he was at Stromsgodset.

Former White Hart Lane technical director Franco Baldini flew to Norway, met Odegaard’s father Hans Erik and wined and dined the Stromsgodset directors.

Odegaard, who had made

his debut for Stromsgodset, aged 15, was regarded as one of the most sought-after young talents in Europe.

And Spurs put in a huge amount of effort to try and win over his family and club.

Baldini was desperate to get Odegaard and returned to London hoping to strike a deal.

But then Real Madrid hijacked their move.

Legend Zidane, who coached the club’s B team before becoming manager, called Odegaard directly to tempt him to move to the Bernabeu.

Odegaard (right) has now committed himself to Arsenal for the long term and will captain them in tomorrow’s North London derby, yet he could so easily have ended up playing for the other side. Odegaard signed for Real Madrid when he was just 16 for £3million – with the fee rising to £6m – ahead of all of Europe’s top sides, with Tottenham one of the clubs left smarting.

And Mirror Sport can reveal that former Arsenal star Steve Morrow played a key role in Odegaard’s decision to move to the Emirates.

Morrow was Arsenal’s head of youth development and also pursued Odegaard when he was still in Norway.

The Gunners’ interest and determination to sign him as a kid was a key factor in why he was keen on them when the chance came round again.