With only 10 million pounds (up to 12 million), Arsenal had the service of Christian Norgaard. Is “cheap” like this “of Oh” with the London team?
The 31 -year -old has signed a 2 -year contract with the Emirates Stadium with an additional 12 -month extension option. Norgaard is clearly a “fire fighting” plan for Thomas Partey to suddenly leave London. But with a team with great ambition like Arsenal, Norgaard's ability is being suspected a lot!
Norgaard had to wait patiently to create a breakthrough outside the Denmark's homeland. After leaving Lyngby to Hamburg in 2012, he was tortured by ankle problems and leaving Germany after a season without any appearance for the first team. Back in Denmark, he spent 5 seasons in Brondby – 3 of them under Thomas Frank – and won the club's best player in 2017.
That success brought Norgaard to Fiorentina, where he had 6 appearances for the first team, but once again left after a season. He reunited with Frank in Brentford in 2019 and helped the club win the Premier League for the first time in 2021, then stabilized in the top tournament in England, ending in the upper half of the chart. By 2023, Norgaard became the captain of Brentford.
Going into professionalism, Arsenal has just signed a contract with a solid and comprehensive midfielder in the defense. Norgaard is a great shield in front of the quartet, performing important interceptors, blocking and glossy. He also has the ability to fight well.
However, do not expect attacks. Norgaard improved its ability to rush in the 2024/25 season, contributing 5 goals and 4 assists in the Premier League, but his strength was in defensive mission. Norgaard can influence the construction of attacks by passing the ball from the deep midfield position, but not the breakthrough runs surpassing the defender.
Norgaard is a modern defensive midfielder. With a prominent role as an independent “number 6” for Brentford, he is always confident to receive adventure passes turning his back towards the goal in the balls on the ball, before distributing the ball throughout the yard and regulating the pace of the match.
Brentford's system rarely asked Norgaard to bring a long distance, but he showed that he could do so before the opponent's harsh pressing phase. The main role of Norgaard at Arsenal will be the ball through the areas quickly to maximize the ability to hold the ball of Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.
When there was no ball, the Danish player was not the fastest, but he read the match very well. With 2.4 interceptions every 1,000 opponents' touches brought Norgaard 6th among all central midfielders and defensive midfielders in the Premier League last season.
However, Norgaard has suffered many injuries, including foot and back problems in recent years. The most serious problem is that ankle injury caused Norgaard to take more than 4 months to play in the 2020/21 season. In addition, at the age of 31, it is difficult to expect Norgaard to be able to play continuously.
To better understand Norgaard, nothing is better than hearing comments from a close person. “Christian has been an integral part of the great journey we have spent 6 years. He is the club captain and one of our most important players,” Thomas Frank said when Norgaard signed a new contract with Brentford in March.
“The ability to feel dangerous and perform his interception phase is particularly high, as well as the ability to pass the ball forward in the first or second ball. And he has improved the ability to score goals this season! For the first time I trained Christian, he was a 10. Now he is one of the best defensive midfielders Premier League.”
Overall, with the market value, Norgaard is carrying the mind of a contract without much expectation. But looking in a positive way, Arsenal almost “profitable” with a mid -range player like this. And if Norgaard can play explosive, then they win big!
