Paul Scholes reckons Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard “could be the problem” at the Emirates Stadium amid speculation that he could return to Real Madrid.

The Gunners have been in great form for the most part this season with Mikel Arteta leading Arsenalto top spot in the Premier League.

Odegaard has provided one goal and four assists in 18 Premier League appearances this season with his form a long way from the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns, which saw him contribute 23 goals and 17 assists in 72 league matches.

And Arteta has placed Odegaard on the Arsenal bench for three of their last four matches, including their 4-0 win over Leeds United on Saturday, after failing to make a goal contribution for six fixtures.

Odegaard came off the bench and provided an assist as the Gunners increased their lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points with Manchester City and Aston Villa both playing on Sunday.

Speaking before their win over Leeds, Scholes insisted that Odegaard is “killing” Gyokeres as the striker has less support from midfield when the Norway international is playing.

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Scholes said on the Stick to Football podcast: “Odegaard could be the problem. Odegaard wants to play as a No.10 and if you’re not playing good football it’s his job to make your team play good football. Good attacking football. I don’t think he does it.

“He drops into midfield. Look, I like him, technically he’s brilliant and good to watch. But he drops into midfield. I played No.10, if they come into the midfield area and play where Roy [Keane] should be he’d say ‘f*** off’, get up there. He doesn’t do it enough in those areas where it wins games.”

Scholes added: “You think about the teams we’ve watched win the league like Liverpool and Man City, exciting to watch.

“They’re exciting because of people like David Silva, Phil Foden receiving the ball on the edge of the box where it’s important. It also kills the centre forward [Viktor Gyokeres] he’s got nobody to play with. They are imperative to make your team play good football.”

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Spanish website Fichajesinsists that Odegaard could now ‘return to Real Madrid’ in the summer transfer window ‘due to problems with Mikel Arteta’.

It is understood that Odegaard has ‘reached a point of no return’ at Arsenal and now his future could lie back in Spain with former club Real Madrid.

The news has ‘immediately sparked interest from several of the continent’s giants’ and Arsenal ‘are beginning to accept that a summer sale might be the best solution for all parties’.

Bayern Munich have also entered the race to sign Odegaard and the report adds: ‘In England, the starting price is being discussed as close to €80 million. A high amount, but manageable for clubs of this caliber if they believe the player will make a difference.’

After watching Odegaard in the Gunners’ 3-2 defeat to Manchester United, former Tottenham striker Darren Bent, who is an Arsenal fan, claimed that Odegaard should be replaced in the starting XI by Eberechi Eze.

Bent said on talkSPORT: “Next weekend in the Premier League, Odegaard out. Out! Honestly, out.

“After Eze had that impact against Tottenham, where he was unbelievable, Odegaard came back in and he was better and I thought, ‘Okay, we’re going to get the Odegaard back from two years ago’, but he’s gone back to himself.

“He’s offering nothing. Give Eze four or five games.”

Bent added: “Eze has to start and Odegaard has to come out. Give Eze a run of games now because he’s a special talent.

“The Noni Madueke-Bukayo Saka one is maybe a little bit different but Eze deserves an opportunity to have a go.

“Right now, in the attacking areas, no player can hold their hands up and say, ‘Do you know what? I don’t deserve to be dropped’, because they have all been poor.”