Matteo Guendouzi (Getty Images)
According to L’Equipe (h/t Daily Post), Matteo Guendouzi has handed a transfer request to Arsenal so that he can secure a move to another club. The midfielder has been out of action since that fiery clash between Brighton and Arsenal back in June last season.
Matteo Guendouzi is a 21-year-old French midfielder who plays for Arsenal. He started his youth career at Paris Saint-Germain’s youth academy in 2005 and moved to FC Lorient in 2014.
After 2 years in the U-19 and Lorient B side, he was promoted to the first-team in 2016. In two seasons, he made 30 appearances for the French side while getting one assist.
He became one of Unai Emery’s first signings at Arsenal as he was signed for an undisclosed fee. After impressing in his first season at the club, Guendouzi didn’t feature much for the club in the second season. Especially after Mikel Arteta was appointed.
He has been frozen out of the squad since the Brighton game over concerns regarding his discipline and conduct. In the two seasons, he has featured 82 times for Arsenal, scored once and assisted 5 times (source – Transfermarkt).
He has been a regular part of the French youth teams but is yet to be called up to the senior side.
It’s clear that manager Mikel Arteta has frozen out Guendouzi over what happened in the Brighton game. Cameras captured the midfielder grabbing Neal Maupay by the throat after the final whistle
Since then, he has been excluded from matchday squads. He is yet to feature this season too. With no resolution in sight, the club should accept his transfer request and let the player move on.
Arsenal brought in Dani Ceballos for another loan spell and are looking at the likes of Houssem Aouar and Thomas Partey (source – Sky Sports). They have also reintegrated Mohamed Elneny into the squad for the opening games.
The club are finally heading in the right direction with new signings and other existing players like Granit Xhaka in form. Arsenal should sanction a deal for Guendouzi as soon as they receive an acceptable offer and end their association with the player.
