Overview

• Mikel Arteta revealed a staff and player ballot that kept Martin Ødegaard as captain by a margin he described as ‘by 100 miles.’
• Club legend Tony Adams had urged Arteta to strip Ødegaard of the armband in favor of Declan Rice, praising Rice’s winning mentality.
• Ødegaard has captained Arsenal since 2022, during which the team has finished second in the Premier League for three consecutive seasons.
• Arteta framed the decisive vote as a clear endorsement of internal unity as the Gunners launch their new title campaign.
• Arsenal’s squad has been strengthened by roughly £180 million in summer signings, including Viktor Gyökeres and Martín Zubimendi, as they seek a first league crown since 2004.