RONNY DEILA’S hopes of landing Norwegian teenage sensation Martin Odegaard on loan at Celtic have suffered a blow.
New Real Madrid boss Rafa Benitez has included the midfielder in his first team squad for the club’s pre-season tour of China and Australia.
And the former Liverpool gaffer has challenged the 16-year-old midfielder to prove his worth.
Deila, who coached Odegaard at former club Stromsgodset, has been linked with attempting to take the midfielder to the Hoops on a temporary season-long deal.
But Benitez is hoping the six-times capped international can impress on their pre-season to claim a place in next season’s top team pool of players.
Odegaard made his first Real appearance on May 23 by former coach Carlo Ancelotti, coming off the bench against Getafe to become the club’s youngest-ever debutant.
The left-sided operator has featured for Real’s Castilla side since landing in Spain, but trains with the first team.
Celtic were among a host of top clubs throughout Europe who were chasing Odegaard last season, but the lure of the Spanish giants proved irresistible to the whizzkid.
