Martin Odegaard joined Arsenal in January with the side on a six-match unbeaten run in the league.

This left the question: could he force his way into the team's starting XI? 

Initially, the answer was no. He failed to start any of his first three games with the Gunners, playing just 32 minutes in these matches.

However, over time, he has begun to make his mark. In March, he truly came into his own. The Norwegian playmaker was a regular in the side throughout the month, and is now having a major impact each week.

His standout performance came in the North London derby, when he scored the equalising goal, before Arsenal went on to edge past Tottenham 2-1. As per WhoScored, his pass success rate in that game was 96.6%, earning him a game rating of 7.83 - a higher mark than any other player on the pitch.

He backed up that display with another impressive showing against West Ham the following week. Arsenal were 3-0 down after 32 minutes, but fought back admirably to secure a 3-3 draw, with Odegaard at the heart of the turnaround. The 22-year-old completed four key passes during that game, and has managed eight throughout March - more than any of his teammates.

These numbers suggest that Odegaard, who is valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, is getting better with each match, and has now become the chief creator at the Emirates Stadium.

With his loan deal set to expire in June, the Real Madrid loanee's future remains uncertain. The last few weeks should have shown Arsenal that they ought to be doing all they can to keep hold of the promising youngster.

Mikel Arteta's side have struggled this term, and currently find themselves down in ninth place. If they want to kick on next year, they need to keep Odegaard beyond this summer.

Here at GIVEMESPORT, we have noted Odegaard's importance to the Arsenal setup, and this has earned him a nomination for March's GMS Fans' Player of the Month award.

You can vote for him at the bottom of this article or by visiting https://fan-awards.com/.