Mikel Arteta faces final insult as Matteo Guendouzi transfer plan justifies decision
Four Premier League clubs, including Unai Emery's Aston Villa, are considering a transfer for former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi from Marseille this summer
Tottenham are interested in signing former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi.
The Frenchman, 24, is on Tottenham's transfer radar after impressing for Marseille over the last two seasons. Unai Emery's Aston Villa are thought to be leading the race for the player's signature, with his employers wanting around €32million (£28m) for his services.
Although Guendouzi only left Arsenal on a permanent deal a year ago, his last game for the club was an in June 2020. The World Cup runner-up fell out of favour with Mikel Arteta and has since admitted he "didn't have the best relationship" with the Gunners boss.
As reported by Toubache via Get French Football News, Tottenham are considering a sensational swoop for Guendouzi. Much will depend on where Spurs finish in the Premier League this season, with Ryan Mason's side currently seventh in the table.
Tottenham will qualify for the Europa Conference League if they maintain their position, but Villa in eighth are level on points with them with just two games left. Joining Emery at Villa Park could be a more attractive prospect if they can pip Spurs to seventh.
It's believed Villa hold the advantage in the transfer battle because of Guendouzi's admiration for Emery. The midfielder was one of Emery's first signings as Arsenal manager four years ago and played 48 times during the Spaniard's one full season in charge.
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Guendouzi was axed by Arteta following an ill-tempered game against Brighton, in which he grabbed Neal Maupay around the throat and allegedly bragged about his salary. Maupay suggested Arsenal players needed more "humility" after the game.
Guendouzi spent the 2020-21 campaign at Hertha Berlin before enjoying last season at Marseille, where he played 56 times to earn his first senior France cap. He's continued to flourish at the Stade Velodrome to trigger rumours of a Premier League return.
Newcastle and West Ham are also thought to be interested in signing Guendouzi, who has two years remaining on his existing deal. If the Frenchman was to join Arsenal's bitter rivals Tottenham, it could reignite tension between him and Arteta.
READ MORE: 7 players leaving Arsenal alongside Granit Xhaka as Gunners exodus gets underwayREAD MORE: Bukayo Saka opens up on feeling the pressure after Arsenal's title collapseGuendouzi opened up on his relationship with Arteta in October. He said: "Journalists used this excuse to say that we had a bad relationship and that’s why I stopped playing and left Arsenal. Not at all. It’s a gesture like many on the pitch. There’s a lot of tension sometimes, a lot of problems on the pitch. In any case, it has nothing to do with all that."
Guendouzi added: "It’s true that I didn’t have the best relationship with him. Beyond that, I always tried to work, always gave the maximum of myself in training and in matches. I still play a few matches with him, I still did great performances.
"He preferred other players and I respect that decision. That’s why, afterwards, I also decided to leave because I was still young, I needed playing time to continue to progress. The most important when you’re young is to play."
