SHARE

One of the more surprising choices Unai Emery has made in his short time as Arsenal manager so far, it’s picking Mattéo Guendouzi regularly.

The young midfielder arrived from Ligue 2 side Lorient and wasn’t expected to really feature, seen more as one for the future, but some great preseason performances and Lucas Torreira’s late arrival allowed him to fight for a spot in the first-team.

Quickly becoming a fan favourite with his passion, the 19-year-old sat down with Ouest-France to discuss his early experience at the club, including why he chose Arsenal in the first place.

He said: “It’s the club of my heart, the one I support since I was a kid. I grew up watching videos of Vieira, Henry and the others with my father. French players who made history. When I knew the club was interested to bring me in, I didn’t hesitate”.

Embed from Getty Images

Trying to not his newfound celebrity get to his head, Guendouzi’s first thought everyday is to give his all on the pitch, with a spot in the France national team at the back of his mind, even if it isn’t a priority.

He continued: “For now, I’m focused on my goals with Arsenal. I’m not rushing things. They will happen if they happen, but obviously, it’s a dream for me. I’m going to do everything to get there one day. If I do it, it’ll be amazing.”

Describing his first few weeks as a ‘daydream’, it’s fair to say Guendouzi is excited, but more importantly for Arsenal fans, he looks exciting.

Enthusiasm only gets you so far, but enthusiasm and talent is a great combination.