Real Madrid to send struggling Martin Odegaard out on loan

It's not the way he would have imagined ending his first season in Madrid

Norwegian prodigy Martin Odegaard looks set to be on his way out of Real Madrid on loan as the club look to turn around the fortunes of their much-heralded 16-year-old signing. In five months since his January arrival in Spain, Odegaard struggled mightily to fit in with Real's second team, Castilla, where manager Zinedine Zidane has not been his biggest fan. Things were looking up when he became the youngest player in the Madrid's history with a brief appearance in Real's final game of the season, but with first-team opportunities certain to be limited again under new boss Rafa Benitez, the club are keen to avoid another difficult season in the reserves. Spanish newspaper AS names Villarreal, Malaga and Betis as clubs where Odegaard could get the first-team football he needs away from the glare of the Madrid press.