Gary Neville names Arsenal player Man City would take in an 'absolute heartbeat'

Gary Neville believes Pep Guardiola would sign Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard for Manchester City if he had the opportunity to do so.

Since arriving initially on loan from Real Madrid in 2021 before signing permanently the following summer, Odegaard has adapted brilliantly to the Premier League. The 24-year-old has since been named captain of the Gunners and has started the season superbly.

The Norwegian already has two goals to his name as he attempts to take the north London side one step further this campaign. While nobody has started better than the Blues in the Premier League, Neville is adamant Odegaard would fit perfectly into the City system and even compared him to two City legends.

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Speaking on his Sky Sports podcast when asked which players had impressed him this season, Neville said: "Odegaard, I’m not saying he’s as good as David Silva or Kevin De Bruyne yet, he’s got a bit to go in his career. But it’s getting to a point now whereby when I watch him play, it is so smooth and so silky.

"I knew he was always a talented player. But we’re now talking about something very different than just talented – this is real class.

"Pep Guardiola, I think, if you said take one player out of this Arsenal team, I think he’d take him in an absolute heartbeat. He would absolutely break into that Man City team because he’s a beautiful player to watch. Every time I watch him he gets better and better."

City will meet Arsenal for the first time in the 2023/24 Premier League next month when Guardiola's men travel to the Emirates Stadium.

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