Mattéo Guendouzi Banished From Arsenal Training as Club Consider Sale
By Tom Gott
Arsenal midfielder Mattéo Guendouzi has been training alone for the past two weeks under orders from manager Mikel Arteta, who has grown frustrated with the Frenchman's attitude.
Guendouzi hit the headlines after June's 2-1 loss to Brighton and Hove Albion, during which he was involved in a public bust-up with the Seagulls' Neal Maupay. There were also reports of how he taunted the Seagulls players during the game.
He was called in for a meeting with Arsenal chiefs soon after and has not been seen since.
Arteta has since fired numerous warnings in Guendouzi's direction, insisting that he will not return to the team until he changes his attitude, but The Athletic note that things are perhaps a little more serious behind the scenes as Guendouzi has been banished from training.
The 21-year-old has been working alone with a fitness coach for the last two weeks, with Arteta seemingly tired of Guendouzi's antics.
This is not the first time the pair have clashed - Guendouzi was disciplined during a training camp in Dubai in February - and this latest incident has raised doubts over his future at the club.
Arteta has been left surprised by Guendouzi's reluctance to apologise or promise to work on his problems, and some at the Emirates Stadium feel as though he has been given too many chances to prove himself. He already had a poor disciplinary track record during his time with Lorient, but Arsenal had hoped to see him mature.
There is now an acceptance that Guendouzi could leave Arsenal, and club officials are already believed to have explored the idea of using him in various swap deals. As a 21-year-old midfielder who has often impressed in the Premier League, he does come with a more-than-decent price tag.
Guendouzi's representatives are set to meet with the club in the coming days to get to the bottom of the whole situation. He still has plenty of supporters at Arsenal, but that number appears to be shrinking with each passing incident.
“I want players that respect the values that we want to implement, that are 100% committed to our culture and players that are accountable every day for what we demand from them,” Arteta said previously.
“Players that are ready to help each other, fight for each other and enjoy playing together. If you behave like this every day, you are very, very welcome here and we want to get the best out of you and help you to enjoy your profession with us.”
In terms of potential destinations for Guendouzi, Juventus and Manchester United have both been mentioned previously, while Real Madrid and Barcelona have been involved in their own unconvincing rumours.