Newcastle United are reportedly interested in Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, who is currently on loan at Ligue 1 club Marseille.
After falling out with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, the Frenchman, 22, spent the last season on loan with Hertha Berlin, where he made 24 Bundesliga appearances, registering two goals and an assist. He was shipped off to Marseille this summer and the central midfielder has since become a key cog in Jorge Sampaoli’s side with his aggressive displays, chipping in with two goals and three assists in 12 games to date.
According to French outlet Footmercato, Newcastle United are plotting a swoop for Mateo Guendouzi next summer after being impressed with his displays at Marseille.
The report adds Les Olympiens have an obligation to buy Guendouzi at the end of the season for a fee of €11 million should they avoid relegation and considering Jorge Sampaoli’s side are currently third in the Ligue 1 table, it looks as if he will be moving permanently to Orange Velodrome.
Matteo Guendouzi to Newcastle United—A solid midfield signing?
Eddie Howe has agreed upon a deal in principle to become Newcastle United’s new manager, ending the club’s taxing managerial search following the sacking of Steve Bruce after the 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in October.
The new Newcastle hierarchy have already started mapping out plans for the future and are likely to back Eddie Howe during the January transfer window to help the club avoid relegation this season.
Following a wretched start to the season that currently sees the Magpies in the relegation zone, reinforcements are an absolute must if the north east club are to harbour hopes of staying with the big boys. As signing players in the mid-season trading period is generally difficult to make, especially from a foreign club that’s doing well in its league, it makes sense for the newly-minted Newcastle to wait until the next summer and then go all out for their major targets.
Matteo Guendouzi is among a host of players linked with a move to St James’ Park. The 22-year-old has performed very well at Marseille under Jorge Sampaoli, thereby, earning a call-up to the France squad for next week’s pair of international fixtures against Kazakhstan and Finland.
Known for his versatility, stamina, work rate and tough-tackling, Guendouzi is a confident player with the ball at his feet and possesses the ability to hurt the opposition in an instant by picking a pass in the final third. The Frenchman is a clever operator, often finding spaces in the middle of the park to drive forward with the ball and make things happen in and around the opposition box.
The addition of the Arsenal loanee would bring something different to the Newcastle team as he has the passing ability, dynamism and vision—qualities that the current crop of the Magpies midfielders, barring Jonjo Shelvey, don’t have in their repertoire. Plus, Guendouzi’s previous experience in the Premier League would help him to quickly settle down at Newcastle if a move materialises in the summer of 2022.
Thus, the Toon Army must splash the required cash to sign Matteo Guendouzi as they embark on a massive rebuild potentially under Eddie Howe.
