Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has lavished praise on Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard.

Ferdinand said Odegaard looked like the club’s former playmaker, Mesut Ozil, at his best, adding that the Norwegian was playing like Italian musician Mozart.

Odegaard has been in brilliant form for Arsenal so far this season.

The former Real Madrid star is one of the main reasons why the Gunners are leading the race for the Premier League title.

“Odegaard needs a special mention. This guy. I said when he was given the armband. This can go either way: it weighs too heavily on his shoulders, or he is going to run with it. "And he is running with it,” Ferdinand said on his Vibe with Five podcast.

He added, “He is playing like Mozart at the moment." He is rolling the ball through people’s legs. He looks like a reincarnation of Ozil at his best. I have been looking at him and thinking he has been a child star for a very long time. "You can tell he seems very comfortable in his skin, and now he is growing into the Arsenal captaincy role really well.”