Martin Odegaard has said he believes joining Real Madrid was "the best option" as he was presented by his new club.
Odegaard, 16, had been courted by many of Europe's leading clubs and spent time with Liverpool and Bayern Munich in recent weeks, but Madrid announced on Wednesday that they had agreed a deal to sign the Norway international from Stromsgodset.
VIDEO- Watch Martin Odegaard, the 16-year-old Norwegian midfielder, in action! http://t.co/kFkllKT0z0 #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/BoXvLe4M3B
- Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) January 22, 2015
Asked why he had chosen Madrid, Odegaard told the media at his official unveiling in Spain on Thursday: "It was the best option for the development of my career as much in the sporting sense as personally. This club has the best possibilities.
"It's a dream come true. I think it's amazing and it's an honour to be at the biggest club in the world."
The midfielder faces a challenge to break into Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti's plans, but he said he will also be working with Madrid's Castilla reserve side, which is coached by Zinedine Zidane and participates in the second tier.
"I'll be training with Castilla and the first team and I'll be delighted if Ancelotti asks me to play," Odegaard said. "It's an advantage that Real Madrid has a second team with a coach who was one of the best players in the world.
"My challenge is to become the best player I can be and it's not important if I'm in the first or second team."
He acknowledged that it would be tougher to play in Spain than in Norway but said he does not feel any pressure and said the future is "very exciting" and he is relishing the chance to play with his new teammates.
"Cristiano [Ronaldo] is the best player in the world, but there is also [Gareth] Bale, Isco -- all of them," he said.
