Liverpool missed out on signing Arsenal star who admitted Reds were his dream club

Liverpool once tried to sign Martin Ødegaard before he joined Arsenal, with the Norwegian playmaker previously admitting that the Reds were his “dream club.” As a highly rated teenager at Strømsgodset, Ødegaard attracted interest from many of Europe’s elite sides and visited several clubs, including Liverpool, as he weighed up his next move.

During his visit to Merseyside, Ødegaard trained with Liverpool’s first team and was particularly taken by the club’s history, Anfield atmosphere and the presence of his football idol, Steven Gerrard. The article explains that Liverpool believed they had a serious chance of securing his signature, viewing him as a long‑term midfield star who could be developed carefully within their system.

However, despite that admiration and his own affection for Liverpool, Ødegaard ultimately chose to sign for Real Madrid in 2015. The Spanish giants offered a compelling sporting and financial package, as well as the prestige of following in the footsteps of world‑class names at the Bernabéu. Liverpool, operating under tighter financial constraints and a different recruitment model at the time, were not prepared to match Madrid’s offer or guarantees.

Ødegaard’s early years in Spain were mixed, with loans to several clubs as he struggled to secure a permanent place in Madrid’s starting XI. His career gained renewed momentum after a successful loan spell at Arsenal, which led to a permanent transfer. At the Emirates, he has since flourished under Mikel Arteta, becoming club captain and one of the Premier League’s standout attacking midfielders.

The piece frames Ødegaard as one of the major talents Liverpool “missed out on,” not through lack of interest, but because they could not compete with Real Madrid’s overall proposition at a key moment in his development, allowing Arsenal to benefit years later from the decision.