Guendouzi joined the Gunners from Lorient in 2018 and had a promising first season under Unai Emery. His tenacity and exuberance won him fans’ admiration, but his relationship with the club quickly deteriorated after Mikel Arteta took over in December 2019.
The Spanish manager never got along with Guendouzi, and the Frenchman’s apparent bad attitude convinced Arteta that he would never be a part of his rebuilding at the Emirates.
Thus, the midfielder spent the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons on loan with Hertha Berlin and Marseille, respectively.
Wishing you all the best, Matteo 🤝
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 1, 2022
Guendouzi was a standout for Marseille last season, scoring 19 goals in 56 appearances across all competitions. The 23-year-old started every Ligue 1 game for Jorge Sampoali and was instrumental in Marseille’s return to the Champions League after a brief absence.
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His permanent departure has been a foregone conclusion since his first clash with Arteta in Dubai in the middle of the 2019/20 season. The manager froze out the young midfielder after his antics against Brighton in a 2-1 defeat later that season, and he never played for the club again.
Guendouzi, on the other hand, has fond memories of his time at Arsenal. “I will never forget any minute spent with the Gunners jersey,” the Frenchman said before being loaned out to Marseille last summer. The Emirates Stadium will live on in my memory forever. I’ll never forget the supporters. I will never forget you and will always be a Gunner.”
“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 club wrote.
Marseille paid £9 million for the 23-year-services. old’s
“Everyone at Arsenal thanks Matteo for his contribution during his time with us and wishes him the best in this next chapter of his career,” said the official statement.
