When Sven Mislintat bought Matteo Guendouzi to Arsenal for £7m+ from Lorient in 2018, the media and fans were impressed. The young Frenchman was seen as a spunky acquisition who had plenty of drive and ambition at a time when the Gunners were lacking in both.
What he lacked in experience, he more than made up for with heart and desire under Unai Emery. His early performances made him stand out from the crowd making him a firm fan favourite, but of late he has struggled and fallen out of favour.
Its been suggested that his attitude wasn’t great in training and that Arteta told him so, which caused a clash between the pair, although this is unconfirmed. It’s also said that he then clashed with a team mate and that a fracas occurred at the team hotel. Hardly helping his cause is he ?
Arteta is now considering the exuberant Frenchman’s position in the squad and it’s well documented that discipline is not negotiable. Even though Arteta is known as something of a redeemer, Matteo Guendouzi is pushing his luck. Talent is one thing but the new Arsenal coach wants positivity and a team mentality to go with any natural ability.
Plus Arsenal have a wealth of emerging playmakers and defensive midfield options to keep him benched for sometime. The resurrection of Granit Xhaka at the hands of Arteta shows that Matteo Guendouzi will head in one of two directions, up or down and that he himself will be crucial in the process.
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If he can’t contain his emotions and frustrations, his coach may decide to jettison him at the earliest opportunity. Yet, as we have already seen Arteta is capable of influencing a player,s thinking whilst steering them in the right direction but much will depend on the players willingness to change.
Remember ‘non negotiable’ !
