Exclusive: Formal bid submitted for £30m-valued Arsenal player Arteta wants out
Villarreal have submitted a formal loan-to-buy offer for Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, Football Insider understands.
The Spanish club's new manager Unai Emery is keen on a reunion with the £30million-valued star after he fell out of favour at the London giants.
A recruitment source has told Football Insider that Villarreal are hopeful of beating European big guns to the signature of Guendouzi after making progress in their pursuit.
An offer has been tabled to take the 21-year-old for the season with a view to a permanent deal.
Arsenal would prefer to sell Guendouzi this window to raise cash for new signings.
But letting him go temporarily would at least get him off their wage bill and give him the opportunity to play regularly and enhance his value.
The fiery Frenchman has been training away from the Arsenal first team after a falling out with Mikel Arteta last month.
The Gunners boss was left fuming with the midfielder after he was embroiled in a scuffle with Neal Maupay following their 2-1 defeat to Brighton on June 20 and has given the green light for him to quit.
Emery - who was recently appointed as Villarreal's new manager - wants the Frenchman to join him at the Estadio de la Ceramica.
Emery was in the top job at Arsenal when the youngster was recruited from French Ligue 2 side Lorient in 2018.
Guendouzi has made 82 appearances for the Premier League giants across two seasons, including 34 in 2019-20.