Christian Norgaard joins Everton after just one season at Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta paying a glowing tribute to the midfielder’s influence behind the scenes.
Everton have confirmed the permanent signing of the 32-year-old on a two-year contract. The fee has not been officially disclosed, although reports place the deal at around £7million.
Norgaard arrived from Brentford last summer and made 20 appearances in all competitions during Arsenal’s Premier League-winning campaign.
Despite receiving limited minutes, Arteta believes his contribution stretched well beyond what supporters saw on the pitch.
“He played a tremendous role for us,” the Arsenal manager said.
Arteta also described Norgaard as Arsenal’s “glue player”, highlighting his ability to bring the squad together and help maintain standards.
We have completed the signing of Denmark international midfielder Christian Nørgaard from Arsenal for an undisclosed fee.
Welcome to Everton, Christian! 🔵
— Everton (@Everton) August 5, 2026
Christian Norgaard joins Everton after one Arsenal season
Norgaard’s departure comes after a campaign in which opportunities were difficult to find behind Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice.
The Denmark midfielder made only seven Premier League appearances, but his experience remained valued inside the dressing room as Arsenal finally ended their long wait for the title.
Everton confirmed Norgaard’s arrival on Wednesday, with the former Brentford captain now hoping to secure more regular football under David Moyes.
Arteta’s comments also offer a little more context to a transfer which could otherwise look strange after only 12 months.
The Arsenal boss was speaking following Wednesday’s Real Betis friendly, when he also addressed the mood inside the squad following a disappointing 3-1 defeat. Arteta revealed Arsenal’s players were “fuming” with their performance.
For Arsenal, the sale also clears another space in midfield as Andrea Berta continues reshaping Arteta’s squad.
Norgaard may not have played a major role on matchdays, but Arteta’s farewell makes clear that his short stay at the Emirates carried considerably more value behind the scenes.