Matteo Guendouzi Leaves Arsenal to Join Marseille on a Permanent Offer

Arsenal have agreed to the sale of Matteo Guendouzi after Olympique Marseille decided to exercise the ‘option to buy’ following the end of his loan spell with the Ligue 1 outfit. The Frenchman has not been a part of Mikel Arteta’s plans ever since the fallout between the two in 2020. Thus, he signed with the French club last summer.

Matteo Guendouzi was an integral part of the Marseille squad that finished second in Ligue 1 behind Paris Saint-Germain. His impressive performances in the French league earned him a call-up to the France national squad.

Although the Gunners missed out on the Champions League qualification for the upcoming season, the 23-year-old midfielder will get the chance to continue his fine form and showcase his talent when he participates in the top-tier European club competition

The deal is valued at around £10 million and the player has even promised to convince Marseille teammate, William Saliba, who is on loan from Arsenal, to extend his stay in Ligue 1. The youngster featured for Arteta during the opening months of the Spaniard’s tenure but a combination of incidents eventually led to his exile.

Time At Arsenal

Guendouzi was born in Poissy, France and is an academy graduate of PSG. To gain first-team football opportunities, the player made a move to FC Lorient where he featured eight times (stats via transfermarkt) before being relegated to Ligue 2. In Ligue 2, he got more opportunities to show his potential and he was able to seal a move to the Emirates Stadium.

Under then Arsenal manager Unai Emery, Guendouzi was used as a box-to-box midfielder. His close control and skill on the ball were extremely useful for a sluggish Arsenal midfield. He used to get into a number of squabbles with opponents due to his short temper, which showed his immaturity but also his passion for the team. He was a bright spark in an uninspiring season for the Gunners during the 2017/18 campaign.

No issues/contacts needed between Arsenal and Olympique Marseille for Mattéo Guendouzi. Deal already in place since March, Guendouzi is Marseille player on permanent deal. 🇫🇷 #OM

Arsenal will receive around €10m fee for Guendouzi and will also try to sell Lucas Torreira.

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 29, 2022

But after Emery’s departure, he started to find lesser opportunities under Arteta. And then, following a well-publicized altercation involving Neal Maupay after a 2-1 loss at the Amex stadium in June 2020, the French midfielder got frozen out of the Arsenal squad by Arteta.

The Frenchman had grabbed Maupay by the throat and his teammates had to intervene to pull him away from the Brighton & Hove Albion forward. Arteta was unhappy with the conduct of the player and shipped him off to Hertha Berlin.

Revival At Marseille

Guendouzi made 24 appearances in Berlin, scoring two goals in a relatively successful season (stats via transfermarkt). But Arteta didn’t seem convinced after the loan spell and allowed him to join Marseille. At Marseille, Matteo Guendouzi operates as a central midfielder and has been very successful, especially as a progressive player.

He carries the ball well and has the ability to scan the pitch quickly and effectively to see where his teammates are positioned. The player can shift positions in the midfield and drop deeper when needed to create space.

Without Dimitri Payet, Mattéo Guendouzi took charge for Marseille against Lorient, here are some of his highlights. 💪💪pic.twitter.com/sEEF3lLtcN

— Get French Football News (@GFFN) May 11, 2022

He has shown more maturity in his overall game, but an area of improvement will definitely be his below-par defensive output which is a result of his engagement in the attacking phase of play. Guendouzi’s defensive numbers need to improve, especially after the departure of defensive midfielder Boubacar Kamara.

Verdict

According to Breaking the Lines, the 2021/22 season has been something of a renaissance for Matteo Guendouzi. He has cemented his place in the team and proven to be a key player. He finished the season with five goals and fourteen assists to his name (stats via transfermarkt). His passion and hunger on the pitch have brought him closer to the fans who love his tenacious determination, which is visible in every game.

Arteta, during his tenure, has sold the players who didn’t fit his philosophy or caused issues in the dressing room with the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mesut Ozil, Hector Bellerin and Guendouzi being forced to leave.

Arteta’s process seems to be going well with four signings already completed in this transfer window. He will not be bothered by the absence of Guendouzi in the squad. As far as Guendouzi is concerned, the former Arsenal reject has found a new lease of life under Jorge Sampaoli and will look to make it into the France squad for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar this year.

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