Martin Odegaard

Odegaard signing was a 'PR exercise' for Real, says Ancelotti

Published Jun. 22, 2016 10:13 a.m. ET

foxsports

Carlo Ancelotti says the signing of Norwegian youngster Martin Odegaard was a "PR exercise" for Real Madrid.

The midfielder joined the Spanish side from Stromsgodset as a 16-year-old in January 2015.

Since then, he has spent most of his time with the Real second team, making just one appearance for the senior side.

Ancelotti was Real head coach at the time of the signing but says club president Florentino Perez was behind the transfer.

"When Florentino buys a Norwegian footballer, you simply have to accept it," he writes in his book Quiet Leadership.

"Furthermore, the president decided that he would play three games with the first team as a public relations exercise".

"He could be the best player in the world, but I don't care because he was not a player who I asked for. That signing was to do with PR."

Odegaard has nine caps for the Norway national team and there have been reports that he could sent out on loan this summer.

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