In a recent post, Arsenal confirmed that Matteo Guendouzi has permanently joined Ligue 1 club Olympique Marseille on a three-year deal for a fee in the region of €10.5 million.
‘As part of the agreement with Marseille, Matteo has made his move permanent after spending 2021/22 on loan with the Ligue 1 club, during which time he became an integral part of their side, making 56 appearances in all competitions during the campaign.’ – The report read.
‘Everyone at Arsenal thanks Matteo for his contribution during his time with us and wish him all the best in this next chapter of his career.’
Having come through the ranks at Paris Saint-Germain, Matteo Guendouzi joined Arsenal from Lorient in the summer of 2018 for a fee in the region of £7 million. The Frenchman was integral to Unai Emery’s plans, but things changed drastically once Mikel Arteta took over at the Emirates. Having already fallen out of favour, the stoppage time incident with Brighton’s Neal Maupay ended Guendouzi’s career in North London. The Poissy-born midfielder was loaned to Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin for the second half of the 2020/21 season, where he made twenty-four appearances across all competitions.
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Nonetheless, the 2021/22 season-long loan at Marseille turned out to be beneficial for the 23-year-old as he managed to rediscover his best form in his homeland. The 6-times France international put up some awe-inspiring numbers on the board the past term as he averaged 1.2 tackles, 0.4 interceptions, 0.9 dribbles, 1.3 shots, 0.9 key passes, and 3.1 long balls per ninety minutes in the French top-flight (calculated across 38 appearances). He also helped Les Olympiens secure a second-place finish in the Ligue 1 table by bagging ten goal contributions in 3154 minutes worth of action.
Right Call From Arteta?
Despite knowing that Guendouzi’s potential could skyrocket in the coming years, Arsenal fans would not be upset over his departure. Furthermore, with Fabio Vieira’s arrival from Porto, the transfer might hurt less. Having been engaged in clashes with Mikel Arteta, the Frenchman had a negative impact on the dressing room’s atmosphere. Although one can argue that the Gunners could have received a much higher fee from his sale, the €10.5 million doesn’t seem too bad either.
(Stats from WhoScored)
