Who is Matteo Guendouzi? All you need to know about Arsenal’s new signing
Arsenal target Matteo Guendouzi has reportedly signed for the club on a five-year deal. A report from The Metro attributed a tweet which appeared to show a leaked video wherein the youngster was signing the contract with the Gunners.
@MatteoGuendouzi has signed a 5 year deal at Arsenal. #WelcomeMatteo pic.twitter.com/05viy3xKQt
— TouchofÖzil (@Touchofozil) July 10, 2018
The 19-year-old midfielder can play in several positions in the centre of the park. He is still young, however, and has loads of potential to become one of the greats. The fact that he has joined on a five-year deal depicts his willingness to stay for a longer period of time and fight for his place at the Emirates.
Let us scout the player with attributes and comment as to why this is a shrewd business move by the Gunners.
Player Analysis – Matteo Guendouzi
Guendouzi’s flexibility to perform various roles in the midfield makes him a solid asset. His passes are quite incisive, which is evidenced by the fact that he recorded a pass success rate of 91.2% in his first season with Lorient. Unfortunately, the club got relegated that season despite the Frenchman’s impressive performances.
The 19-year-old predominantly plays a deeper role where he can break the opponents’ forward plays and fabricate a counter-attack with his passing. He has an incredible eye for picking out telling key passes towards the goal, which is quite a weapon for a defensive midfielder.
Arsenal manager Unai Emery usually deploys either a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 formation, depending on the personnel and opposition quality. In the latter, Guendouzi could be utilized as one of the two double-pivots behind the front line. The Frenchman’s positional awareness is quite impressive, meaning the attackers can depend on him to prevent the opponents from launching counter-attacks.
Read More: 19 goals, 8 assists – Arsenal simply cannot miss out on this sizzling winger this summer
Conclusion
It is obvious that the 19-year-old won’t start frequently for Arsenal next season. That said, he has the potential to be a long-term success at the Emirates. Emery is well-known for his work with young players and in Guendouzi, he has gotten a gem of a player who could go on to become a special talent in the world football.
