Other than Unai Emery’s impressive start to the season, managing to rid the dressing room of Arsène Wenger’s ghost fairly quickly, the feel good factor at Arsenal has been down to two of their recruits: Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi.
While the former is now getting more game time than the latter, the young Frenchman has been a pleasant surprise for fans of the Gunners, who weren’t expecting him to play such a big part in his first season at the club.
Arriving from Lorient for just £7m or so, the 19-year-old has shown time and time again why Arsenal decided to take a gamble on him, but had they not been insistent in their attempts to sign him, they could have missed out to another big European side.
Speaking to Canal Football Club over the weekend, relayed by RMC Sport, Guendouzi explained what went on over the summer, and why he eventually decided to move to the Emirates rather than elsewhere.
He said: “It’s true that PSG were very interested, like a lot of clubs. There were a lot of talks, but for me, the best choice was to join Arsenal. From the moment they showed they wanted me, I didn’t hesitate and I only focused on that path.”
Revealing he had a chance to sign for the Ligue 1 champions earlier on in his career too, Guendouzi stated he felt he wouldn’t have as many chances there as he did at Lorient, therefore potentially hindering his career instead of allowing him the chance to grow into the player he is today.
Even when he was younger, it seems the Arsenal midfielder was a few years ahead of his peers maturity wise.
Either that or he was smartly advised, but for the Emirates faithful, all that matters now is that he’s theirs, and he doesn’t seem intent on leaving anytime soon.
