Matteo Guendouzi is training alone as Arsenal explore a summer sale, likely in a swap deal given the current financial situation, according to a report.
The Athletic report that Matteo Guendouzi is training alone as Arsenal consider what to do with him this summer. He didn’t impress Mikel Arteta and Edu in a meeting after the Brighton incident, the latest in ‘a series of indiscretions’.
Arteta isn’t happy with Guendouzi failing to apologise for his actions, or taking any steps to change his behaviour. Some at Arsenal now feel they’ve given him enough chances.
As a result, the club are exploring the possibility of using the 21-year-old in a summer swap deal. They’re going to meet with his representatives again this week.
Personally, I think it’s unfortunate we’re now looking to sell a talented young midfielder, but I also agree its the right thing to do.
For all Guendouzi’s talent, he’s just not offering the team something unique that they really need. His profile is very similar to Granit Xhaka’s, so having both in one team is unnecessary.
He’s not a disciplined defensive midfielder, he doesn’t provide goals and assists. If Arsenal could move him on and bring in one of those two (or both), the team would improve.
That’s not to say Guendouzi is a bad player, at all. He has the potential to be a top midfielder and should command a great price. But with his disciplinary issues, he’d need to be improving the team right now to be worth keeping around.
His current form isn’t close to good enough for Arsenal to let him run down the last two years of his contract and leave for free. If he’s not on board, there are players out there better suited to improving the team.