Jenas and Bent make daring bet on talkSPORT as they compare Odegaard and Maddison

Darren Bent and Jermaine Jenas were Tottenham, Aston Villa and England teammates once upon a time.

But now, a debate on talkSPORT Drive regarding Martin Odegaard and James Maddison has divided them and has led them to place a bet that is sure to leave the eventual loser red faced.

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Former England international Jenas, who retired from football in 2014, joined talkSPORT to discuss last weekend’s north London derby, which saw Arsenal and Tottenham face off in a feisty 2-2 draw.

Drive host and devoted Arsenal fan Bent was eager to get his old teammate’s views on how the derby went down.

When the conversation switched to James Maddison – who got two assists in the game at the Emirates – and his impact at Spurs since signing this summer, Bent asked what his opinion on Maddison’s Arsenal midfield counterpart, Martin Odegaard.

“I like Odegaard, I think he’s had an unbelievable season last year,” the 40-year-old said as he compared him to Maddison. “It’ll be interesting to see. They have a certain job those types of players and it’s about goals and assists. What are they bringing to the table in terms of goals and assists?”

But it was what Jenas said next that had Bent willing to make a wager with his fellow ex-Spurs star.

“I don’t think you would sit here right now and say to me, ‘I bet you 100 per cent Odegaard will get more goals and assists than Maddison’,” he continued.

Bent quickly cracked a smile and replied: “I’ll take that bet!”

After Andy Goldstein joked the pair should bet £10,000, Jenas said: “We’ll do the football shirt thing. I can’t see that happening. I think Maddison will have easily, if not the same, goals and assists.”

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But Goldstein didn’t think the loser wearing their rival club’s shirt would be enough.

“What about, you come in if you lose and if Benty loses, I’ll make sure he does it, the badge kiss. You’ve got to kiss the Arsenal badge [if you lose] and Benty, you have to kiss Jermaine’s cockerel!”

Maddison’s two assists on Sunday takes his tally up to four for the season, alongside his two goals.

He managed ten goals and nine assists with relegated Leicester last term.

Meanwhile, Odegaard netted 15 times and provided eight assists as Arsenal finished second in the Premier League in 2022/23 and has provided two goals and no assists so far this campaign.

We’ll keep our eyes peeled for how this one turns out…

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