This is what Mikel Arteta had to say on reintegrating Guendouzi: “I have been really clear that everybody starts from zero all the time in football. What you did two weeks ago or two years ago doesn’t really matter. It’s what you are able to contribute to the team now.”
“Everybody is going to have the same opportunities. They’ll have to show with their performances and their attitude that they are better than their teammates or somehow contributing to what we want to achieve this season.”
He even accepted that he had talked to Guendouzi in the off-season.
Now many believe that this rather positive statement by Arteta is a way of him to secure Guendouzi’s market value, which might well be the case. However, this could also just be an opportunity for Matteo.
Due to the current financial crisis, there has been a shift in the transfer strategy of various clubs around the world whether it’s Real Madrid or Lyon, the impact can be seen all over the place. And this shift will make it difficult for Arsenal to able to move Guendouzi on.
What is this shift?
If we talk about the financial juggernauts then they’re looking at two types of signings, one who they really “Need” to improve their squad or who they don’t necessarily “Need” however due to the lack of competition they’re presented by an opportunity to sign their dream player which they feel is too good to give up.
Chelsea, for example, have bought so many attacking players even though they didn’t necessarily need each one of them, however, they saw an opportunity which wouldn’t have existed in a normal market and they took advantage.
However, if they couldn’t find that opportunity to make their dream signing or a good enough player, instead of recklessly spending money on average players, which they’re usually accused of, they went for safer low-risk signings in Thiago Silva and Malang Sarr.
For clubs with limited financial resources, they’re mostly dealing for either player they feel are essential for their survival or they’re going shopping in the lower leagues and buying their best players at a bargain price.
Now from all of these four profiles of players, Matteo Guendouzi fits in none. He’s not a player who’s good enough to be “Needed” at a big club just yet, neither is he a wonderkid who can be stolen away. He’s someway in between, a decent young player who’s worth the investment.
However, the financial crisis means even the big clubs won’t be looking to make such “decent” investments.
As for so the mid-table clubs, Guendouzi can surely be a player who can come in and straight away improve their team. However in a market where Weston McKennie is available for a loan even for a club like Juventus and Marc Roca is available for €15m. It’s difficult to see a mid-table club wanting to meet Arsenal’s valuation of €30m for a player who’s still raw and doesn’t have a great reputation off the field inspite of his obvious talent.
Another option to shift him on is a loan deal, however, that’s a bit unlikely, as that would mean they’ll lose yet another midfielder and they won’t even get the funds to replace him.
And considering Xhaka is the only midfielder who has his future secured at the club, they won’t be too keen on trimming down their midfield.
The obvious and likely option is a swap deal, however, if Arsenal want to swap Guendouzi with any one of their targets, Thomas Partey or Houssem Aouar, it would take a lot of convincing and extra chunk of pounds added to any such deal.
To sum up, Arsenal might not be keen on freezing Guendouzi out if they can’t move him on, which seems unlikely as of now.
Even if Arsenal sign Dani Cabellos on a loan deal and replace Torreira with Diawara or someone else. They won’t be keen on going into a season with European football with just three central midfielders. Hence you could see why Arteta is opening a door for Guendouzi. And he might just be reintegrated if he can make the amends which Arteta wants him to.
