Arsenal ready to listen offers for 21-year-old star midfielder

Arsenal remain keen to sell Matteo Guendouzi, despite the France international’s return to senior team training.

The 21-year-old star was the breakout star of Unai Emery’s only full campaign in charge following his £7 million transfer from Lorient in the summer of 2018, but the midfielder fell out of favour following the arrival of Mikel Arteta.

Matteo was guilty of several disciplinary breaches and failed to figure at all in the senior team after an altercation with Brighton’s Neal Maupay during a defeat versus the Seagulls back in June.

Arteta welcomed Matteo back into the fold earlier this week but remains interested in seeing the back of a player who was brought to the club on the recommendation of the former head of recruitment Sven Mislintat.

According to ESPN, Atalanta, Valencia and Villarreal, now managed by Emery, have expressed an interest in landing Guendouzi, but the player has rejected those clubs as possible destinations.

Arsenal have entered into talks with both PSG and Lyon, but both Ligue 1 clubs have given short shrift to the idea of recruiting Matteo, even as part of a potential player plus cash swap deal.

UEL winners Sevilla are also said to be monitoring Matteo’s situation with sporting director Monchi, who himself came close to signing for Arsenal before Edu was appointed, a keen admirer of the star.

Guendouzi wasn’t the only high-profile player to have been frozen out towards the end of last campaign, with the former Germany international Mesut Ozil also exiled during the run-in.