Matteo Guendouzi’s most controversial Arsenal moments as he nears Premier League return
Sunderland are attempting to complete a move to sign former Arsenal man Matteo Guendouzi from Lazio.
Newcastle are set to challenge Sunderland for Guendouzi, with the Frenchman reportedly the subject of a £20million bid from the Black Cats.
The midfielder left the Gunners in 2020, initially leaving on loan to Hertha Berlin and Marseille before later joining Lazio.
Sunderland would be ready to offer £24m to sign Guendouzi, with decision-makers at the Stadium of Light keen to further bolster the midfield.
Regis Le Bris worked with Guendouzi at FC Lorient, before the 26-year-old made the move to Arsenal. With a move now on the cards, Football Insider has revisited three of the Frenchman’s most controversial moments with the Gunners.
Rugby tackling Wilfried Zaha
Guendouzi arrived at a difficult time for Arsenal. Unai Emery had replaced Arsene Wenger, and the Gunners were left to deal with life without the only manager any recent player had known.
The 19-year-old was a fresh talent coming out of Ligue 2, where he had featured on and off for Lorient.
| Matteo Guendouzi | Arsenal |
| Appearances | 82 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 5 |
But immediately, Guendouzi was thrust into the starting XI in the Premier League, making his debut against Manchester City and going on to make 48 appearances across all competitions.
Emery’s first season ended terribly, but the Frenchman had been a bright spot. Guendouzi would often be the man to bail him out at the start of his second season, too, especially on a night infamous for Arsenal.
The Gunners’ 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace in 2019 saw Granit Xhaka signal expletives at the home fans, VAR inexplicably disallow Calum Chambers’ winner, and Emery well and truly lose the backing.
It could have been even worse, too, when Wilfried Zaha broke through in stoppage time, knocking the ball past Guendouzi to bear down on goal.
The midfielder’s only option was to haul the winger to the floor with a tackle that only a rugby player would be proud of. Somehow, he was not sent off, and the match ended level.
Matteo Guendouzi throttles Neil Maupay
Mikel Arteta‘s arrival in 2019 spelt the eventual end for Guendouzi. In his last ever appearance for Arsenal, the midfielder lost his head at the end of a brutal last-minute defeat to Brighton.
Neal Maupay had already angered the Arsenal players by pushing an airborne Bernd Leno, causing the German to land awkwardly and injure his knee.
When the Frenchman scored to hand the Gunners a 2-1 defeat in the closing seconds, frustrations came to a head.
Guendouzi approached the striker immediately after the final whistle, grabbing him by the neck before the pair were surrounded by players.
The midfielder would not face punishment by the FA for the incident, but he would be dropped from Arteta’s squad.
The Spaniard reportedly offered a route to a return for Guendouzi should he apologise, but his refusal led to his departure in the same summer.
Guendouzi’s FA Cup post
A tumultuous season finally came to a positive end in 2020, when Arsenal lifted the FA Cup after beating Chelsea in the final.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice to hand the Gunners a 14th triumph in the competition.
Guendouzi was not present, having been axed from the squad in the weeks leading up to the game, and the midfielder was in no mood to celebrate his team’s victory.
Instead, as Arsenal celebrated their trophy, the Frenchman took to Instagram to post a picture of his holiday, in what was clearly a direct dig at the club and Arteta.
When Guendouzi left in 2021, he did so with a message that confirmed that his feelings had not changed.
“I will never forget everything I’ve been through here,” he wrote on social media. “I will never forget that my only will was to defend with pride, Arsenal colours.”