Arsenal are making progress in talks with captain Martin Odegaard over a new contract, according to a report.
The Norway skipper has seamlessly slotted into Mikel Arteta's system since his initial loan move in January 2021, and he was promoted to captain last summer following Alexandre Lacazette's exit.
Odegaard ended the 2022-23 season with 15 goals and eight assists from 37 Premier League outings, as Arsenal pushed Manchester City all the way in the title race before falling just short.
No midfielder scored more goals in the English top flight than Odegaard last term, and the 24-year-old's efforts saw him win Arsenal's Player of the Season and earn a place in the PFA Team of the Year.
In his first four games of the 2023-24 season, Odegaard has already found the net twice in four appearances, ensuring Arsenal went into the international break unbeaten with 10 points from a possible 12.
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All in all, Odegaard has come up with 26 goals and 15 assists in 110 matches for the Gunners, but he has now entered the final two years of the contract he penned upon his £30.1m arrival.
However, an extension has been seen as inevitable, and the Daily Mail now reports that Arsenal have now entered advanced talks with the player's representatives over a four-year renewal.
Odegaard can expect a bumper pay rise on his current £120,000-a-week contract, although both parties must still sort out the finer details of his terms before a full agreement can be reached.
Nevertheless, there is optimism that the Scandinavian will extend his stay in North London, and the report adds that right-back Ben White is also in line for improved terms in the coming months.
Arsenal shelled out £50m to bring White to the Emirates from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2021, and the 25-year-old excelled as Arteta's first-choice right-back in 2022-23.
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White did not miss a single Premier League game for the Gunners last season - starting 36 of them - and he contributed two goals and five assists to help seal the club's return to the Champions League.
The England international had reverted to a central role for the first three games of the 2023-24 season, but he lined up on the right for Arsenal's 3-1 beating of Manchester United two weekends ago.
White's current contract does not expire until the end of the 2025-26 year, but Arsenal believe that his performances warrant a salary increase, and talks should get underway in a "matter of weeks".
Despite his importance to Arsenal, White remains exiled from the England camp, having not been called up by Gareth Southgate since leaving the World Cup in Qatar for personal reasons.
Over the past 12 months, Arsenal have tied Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Magalhaes, Bukayo Saka, Aaron Ramsdale, William Saliba and Reiss Nelson down to new long-term deals, as well as extending Mohamed Elneny's contract for another year until 2024.
Ben Knapton
