Arsenal legend Tony Adams has called on Mikel Arteta to brutally strip Martin Odegaard of captaincy ahead of the 2025/26 season.
On Sunday afternoon, Arsenal get their 2025/26 Premier League campaign with a tough away trip to Old Trafford to face historic rivals Manchester United.
The match is the first of a brutal run of fixtures that includes matches against Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle United.
With Arteta hoping that he can finally win a Premier League title with his Arsenal squad this season, it is vital that he comes away from these games with a good points tally.
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To do this, club legend Adams has suggested that the Arsenal manager should consider stripping Odegaard of the captain's armband and instead award it to someone who he believes could lead the club to glory.
Adams, who led Arsenal to four league titles during his legendary career, harshly stated that Odegaard is not capable of leading Arsenal to the Premier League title while speaking at an event hosted by Irish Independent Sport.
Speaking in Dublin, he said: "He's (Arteta) got a really big call to make this year and for me he hasn't done it.
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"The call is to make Declan Rice the captain. I think Declan is my kind of captain, and it might free Odegaard up to play with a bit more freedom.
"Every now and again as a manager, you have to put someone who reflects you, who reflects the football club that you think can actually take you to the next level."
Rice was then asked if he thought that Rice reflected Arteta, to which he replied: "I think he's better than Arteta."
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Before doubling down on his claim, adding: "He's got an opportunity this year to actually turn into a winner
"And I'm seeing Declan Rice as a captain but I'm saying to Arteta: "Come on, step up now. It's your time to be a winning manager and a fantastic manager, because you're not going to win the league with Odegaard as captain."
"You've got someone in their who's going to play every game all season, that's going to encourage people to come in and lay the foundations of a title-winning team,' he continued.
"Declan Rice can do that, Odegaard can't. Come on Arteta, make him captain.
Topics: Arsenal, Premier League, Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Mikel Arteta, Football
Ben McCrum