What does the new season hold for Martin Odegaard at Real Madrid?

Compared to the summer trips of most 16-year-olds, Martin Odegaard’s pre-season tour with Real Madrid takes some beating. The Norwegian prodigy has trained with the first-team since work commenced a week ago, and will aim to awe new boss Rafa Benítez throughout a series of friendly matches that starts with a showdown with Roma in Melbourne on Saturday.

“He is a player I like a lot,” Benítez said on Wednesday night. “I am impressed with him. He’s very good technically. Physically he is training well; he has speed, stamina and focus. He has ability and energy.”

Odegaard endured a mixed season with Castilla after arriving last January. The Real Madrid reserve side coached by Zinedine Zidane failed to reach the play-offs in their section of the Spanish third division, the reason being a dramatic dip in form that coincided with Odegaard’s introduction.

Collective factors were largely culpable, yet Odegaard took heavy hits from sections of the Madrid press. There were some issues, but several reports were harsh and misguided. Towards the end the playmaker was one of the outstanding players, and crowned a fine spell with a first-team debut in Real Madrid’s last game of the season, replacing Cristiano Ronaldo on 58 minutes in a 7-3 win over Getafe to become the club’s youngest ever player in La Liga.

Much has been written about where he will go next. Conflicting reports have emerged from the two sports dailies in Madrid. Diaro AS have claimed he will be loaned out regardless of what happens in pre-season, and list Villarreal, Malaga, Betis and Celtic as possible destinations. The latter side is led by Ronny Deila, Odegaard’s former coach at Norwegian side Stromsgodset.

Conversely, Marca say Real Madrid are thrilled with Odegaard and want him to secure a place in the senior squad by impressing on the tour.

Whatever is true, one thing is certain: if Odegaard was reluctant to spend another season with Castilla in May, his stance is unlikely to have changed. Four prolific players have left. One-year loan deals have been arranged for left winger Burgui (Espanyol), midfielder Alvaro Medran (Getafe) and centre-back Diego Llorente (Rayo Vallecano). His defensive partner, Derek Osede, has joined Bolton on a free transfer.

The fact that three Castilla players have joined sides in La Liga reflects the underachievement it was for Castilla to finish outside the play-offs. And while youngsters from the academy will replace the quartet, Zidane could face another tough campaign.

That leaves two options for Odegaard: more first-team involvement, or a loan. “He is very young and we’ll have to decide whether it is best for him to continue here, or leave to get more playing time,” Benitez said. “At the moment he’s training with us, and I want to observe his progression. I want to see him play in a role in which he is comfortable.”

There should be plenty of opportunities. After meeting Roma, Real Madrid play Manchester City before leaving Australia to face Internazionale and AC Milan in China. All matches are part of the International Champions Cup. The journey continues to Bayern Munich’s annual Audi Cup, in early August, to face Tottenham and either Bayern or Milan. The expedition concludes in Oslo, the capital of Norway, with a match against Valerenga on 9 August.

A loan remains the most likely outcome, but Odegaard’s chances of making the squad are worth analysing. Much depends on who else can play behind the striker and on the right. The big hitters are untouchable, namely Cristiano Ronaldo, Isco, Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez – who is not currently part of the tour after his Copa America participation with Colombia. The 22-year-old Jese seems likely to play as a striker under Benitez. Meanwhile, midfield loanees Denis Cheryshev, Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio have been recalled.

At least two appear to be ahead of Odegaard in the queue. The 24-year-old Cheryshev played well on Villarreal’s left wing last season, while right winger Vazquez grabbed three goals and six assists in 34 league fixtures for Espanyol. The latter was signed permanently by the Catalans last summer, but Real Madrid have activated a buy-back clause.

Question marks hang over Asensio, who was signed in December but remained with his club Mallorca until summer. The 19-year-old, who is currently with Spain at the U-19 Euros in Greece, is a nimble, left-footed dribbler with great drive and an eye for the killer pass. That would appear to make him a direct competitor for Odegaard, but he is likely to leave on loan.

The tour will indicate who Benítez intends to play where. Some clues have arisen from his training sessions. Spanish press have reported that Benitez has fielded both 4-4-2 and his beloved 4-2-3-1, with Ronaldo and Cheryshev on the left. Isco appears to have stayed centrally or on the right, where Vazquez always plays. The only anomaly is the positioning of Bale, who has been used behind the striker and as a pure forward.

Neither Vazquez nor Cheryshev has been recruited without reason. Benitez champions frequent squad rotation and favours a deep squad. The duo also equip him with ‘classic’ wing options on both sides, adding more weapons to the tactical armoury. This wing type does not exist elsewhere in the current squad, with the right-footed Ronaldo positioned left and the left-footed Rodriguez, Bale and Odegaard competing for berths centrally and on the right.

As such, if Odegaard does harbour first-team hopes, he will at least have Vazquez ahead of him on the right flank. Isco and Rodríguez seem likely to be moved wide at least periodically, perhaps Bale too, while Asensio could yet rival him.

That is tough competition and a loan remains far more likely, but Odegaard might be hopeful. For the teenager, this will be no ordinary summer.