Since Mikel Arteta and Matteo Guendouzi parted ways, it feels like an eternity has passed. Guendouzi, the French midfielder, hasn’t featured for Arsenal since an incident where he was seen grabbing Neal Maupay of Brighton during the second game of the Premier League restart.
After the incident, Guendouzi was loaned out to Hertha Berlin and later had another loan spell with Marseille, which eventually turned into a permanent move.
Despite football.london reporting that Guendouzi was given multiple opportunities to apologize for disciplinary issues, Arteta chose not to reintegrate him into the team.
At the time of Guendouzi’s departure, Arteta faced criticism from those who saw potential in the Frenchman and believed that the Spaniard had made a mistake.
However, it has become evident that both Arteta and Guendouzi have been proven right in their respective paths.
Under Arteta’s guidance, Arsenal has developed a formidable midfield comprising Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, who equaled goal-scoring records, and a resurgent Granit Xhaka. Xhaka, in particular, exemplifies a player who was willing to do what it takes to succeed under Arteta.
He not only turned his Arsenal career around but also changed the perception of him among the majority of fans.
On the other hand, Guendouzi’s trajectory has taken a different turn.
Despite initially earning a call-up to the French national team and participating in the World Cup, his fortunes have declined.
He was left out of the past two squads and missed the European Championship qualifiers, likely due to a dip in form during his time at Marseille.
He fell out of favor and spent significant time on the bench, expressing his dissatisfaction with the situation in May.
Recently, Guendouzi has been linked with a potential return to the Premier League, with clubs like West Ham and Aston Villa showing interest.
A reunion with former Arsenal boss Unai Emery could be on the cards. However, it’s a far cry from when Guendouzi was once touted to command a hefty transfer fee, with teams like PSG reportedly keen on acquiring him.
Arteta and Guendouzi have taken different paths, and it is evident that the Spaniard has benefited the most from their separation.
Arteta’s decision has been vindicated, serving as an example to his squad of the risks involved in not adhering to the manager’s principles. Just ask Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang about the consequences.
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