The youngster is regarded as one of the most exciting talents around and Madrid beat off stiff competition from clubs such as Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, Arsenal, Liverpool and Ajax for Odegaard's signature.
The attacking midfielder has even been compared to Messi by some due to his style of play, but Fjortoft has moved to downplay expectations following his compatriot's transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu this January. "Comparing Odegaard to Messi is nonsense from the media. Messi is a player who can make the difference and Martin can do the same, but any comparisons should not be taken seriously," Fjortoft says.
Martin is only 16 years old and he should be allowed to behave like someone of his age,he should be able to develop gradually and one step at a time. He has already shown that he is ready to take on new challenges ."The footballer of the future does not only need talent, but he should also work hard, be disciplined and put in more effort than others.
You have to follow your goals and stay professional." Fjortoft believes Real Madrid was the right choice for Odegaard and feels the presence of Zinedine Zidane at the club could prove to be a major advantage,the bigger picture was decisive for Martin. Real Madrid are the right choice for him. They have a strong reserve side that is coached by Zidane. It's definitely not a bad thing for a midfielder to be working with Zidane.
Nobody knew him some 11 months ago,his development has been phenomenal."He has become a regular with the national team,we didn't invite him because of the media hype,he has made the national team because he is good enough."
