Martin Odegaard is starting to make a serious impact at Arsenal.
The Norwegian youngster followed up a thunderous strike in the Europa League last week by netting in the North London Derby win against Tottenham on Sunday.
The playmaker was drafted in from Real Madrid in the January transfer window to help bolsters Arsenal's creativity department. Mesut Ozil, as a result, was finally let go.
But despite the excitement surrounding Odegaard's arrival, his transfer has been frowned upon by a couple of former players.
Martin Keown raised issues first, fearing for the development of Emile Smith Rowe who has enjoyed a breakthrough senior season at the club.
"The reservations I have is Smith Rowe was playing especially well in that position," Keown said on BT Sport.
"Now, perhaps he [Arteta] didn't feel he was getting enough from [Nicolas] Pepe defensively so Smith Rowe's gone into that position.
"Now you've got Saka and Smith Rowe in wide positions. They have really good movement, tuck inside nicely, they give that space for the full backs to get wide and they know when to press.
"But maybe they lose a little bit, for the time being, until Odegaard is ready to match speed."
And prior to the North London Derby, Ljungberg expressed similar concerns.
"I think Odegaard is a great player, don’t get me wrong, but if you have young players in kind of the same position that you want to develop, take someone in on loan that you don’t have the buying option for to develop for another club, I don’t understand that," he said on Sky Sports.
"If we want to go forward with Arsenal as a football club, it’s the young ones that are going to make a difference - they need games and Emile doesn’t need to play as a winger when moving for another player, he needs to play in his position."
But by following up each concern by scoring, Odegaard is showing exactly why Mikel Arteta continues to play him in that central playmaker spot.
Ljungberg and Keown seem reluctant to see Smith Rowe out on the flanks but when he attacks his position becomes very fluid - like when he thundered the ball against the bar in a central area on Sunday.
It's also worth noting that Odegaard himself is only 22. At two years Smith Rowe's senior he too needs game time to develop and progress. Should he do that at Arsenal then they're more likely to keep him on a permanent basis.
"I said many times that I’ve been looking for stability (in same club), but haven’t found it," Odegaard told VG.
"I think it’ll be important to find stability. I’m very happy at Arsenal, enjoying myself. I like it here. Now my focus is to finish the season, then we’ll see.”
With both players so young, Arteta is proving that there is room for the pair to play and develop in his side.
