Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says he has nothing but good words to say about Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard’s ability ahead of the game between the two clubs this weekend.

Odegaard was a child prodigy but he struggled to make an impact in his early years at Real Madrid, before he left the Bernabeu for the Gunners at the start of last year, and Klopp is full of compliments for how the Norwegian has developed his game:

“I am really happy that he has now become the player we all expected him to become. Actually even better than that, if you will. He plays a massive role in an incredibly strong Arsenal team. He is still young, clear-headed, very influential. I honestly can’t say anything negative about him. Really a top player.”

While Odegaard will undoubtedly be delighted to hear such praise from a highly respected manager, he will know that there is still room for improvement in his performances.

Since moving to the Emirates, the 23-year-old has scored 12 goals and provided seven assists in 68 appearances, which is a reasonable, if not spectacular, return.

Over the next few seasons, Odegaard will be hoping to increase his output so he can become an even more influential player for Arsenal in the future.