Pundit claims Martin Odegaard will be furious if Arsenal sign "clever" player in January

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard will be furious if the Gunners sign Joao Felix, according to a pundit.

Felix became the fourth most expensive player in history when Atletico Madrid beat off competition from across Europe to sign the then 19-year-old for £108million in 2019.

However, life has since not been easy in the Spanish capital and Atletico are now looking to sell the forward, who has registered seven goals in 18 appearances this term.

Off the pitch, Felix’s relationship with manager Diego Simeone has broken down, and it is now likely the player will leave the Wanda Metropolitano in January.

Premier League duo Arsenal and Manchester United have both been tipped to bid for the Portugal international in January. Indeed, Corriere dello Sport claimed earlier this week that the Gunners were in talks with Felix’s agent to discuss a potential move.

However, if Mikel Arteta chooses to sign Felix it could cause unrest in the Gunners squad, according to Steve Nicol.

Felix to rock the boat?

On ESPN FC, a fan told former Liverpool star Nicol and ex-Chelsea player Craig Burley that Felix would be an ideal January signing for the Gunners.

The fan claimed it was because of the player’s ability to switch positions in attack, and also play behind Jesus – in Odegaard’s position.

In response, Nicol claimed that Odegaard would be upset if Arsenal signed Felix next month.

He said: “I don’t think Odegaard will be too happy with it if he appeared.

“No, it doesn’t seem the right fit. I like what they’ve got going now. It’s unfortunate Jesus is injured. But the whole thing they’ve got going now seems right – Joao Felix coming in could blow that up a little bit.”

Felix has been known for his ability to operate in a number of attacking positions.

Indeed, Joao Tralhao who was Felix’s youth coach at Benfica when the forward was coming through the ranks, tipped the 23-year-old as a future Balon d’Or winner, while praising his tactical flexibility.

Tralhao told Sky Sports earlier this year: "He can play on the left side, he can play on the right side, he can play through the middle. I always see him as a false nine or an actual nine, but really the position doesn't matter. The most important thing is that the coach understands him, as Simeone does.

"He can play anywhere because he always finds the spaces to do what the coach wants. He understands that positioning like few in the world, he's very clever. He just needs to be where he can demonstrate his quality."