Although it’s unlikely that Matteo Guendouzi will become a star player that everything was built around, it did look like he was going to be a key player for Arsenal going forward.
His relentless energy and determination in the middle of the pitch was very important to Arsenal while he also had some quality on the ball.
Everything changed during that eventful loss to Brighton last season, where words were said and he totally fell out of favour.
READ MORE: “I’m pretty confident”: Mikel Arteta delivers some great news for Arsenal over Aubameyang’s contract
The Express reported that Arteta wanted him to leave because of an internal issue, while the player couldn’t have distanced himself from the FA Cup triumph any further if he tried.
It’s also very important for a new manager to gain the respect of the squad so they need to demonstrate the ability to stick with their decisions, but you can argue that there’s something to be said for being willing to forgive too.
Everyone thought that there was no way back for Guendouzi after all of this, but it actually looks like he’s going to get another chance:
It’s hard not to be cynical and wonder if this is merely a negotiating tactic from Arsenal, as they can demand a better price if everything looks rosy and they can give the impression that they don’t need to sell.
Despite that, Arsenal have lost Dani Ceballos and the midfield does need strengthening, so perhaps the Frenchman can work his way back into the team and become an important player again.