ARTETA'S FALLOUT: RéGIS LE BRIS WANTS MATTéO GUENDOUZI DESPITE PAST ATTITUDE ISSUES
Head Coach Régis Le Bris has contacted Lazio regarding a €25M January move for Mattéo Guendouzi, a player he previously coached at Lorient.
Régis Le Bris, the head coach for a Premier League team, first mentioned bringing back French player Guendouzi last month. They had worked together before at Lorient. Journalist Sacha Tavolieri is reporting that the team has now formally contacted Lazio about a possible deal in January.
Le Bris said in November, I worked with him at Lorient, so we keep in touch. Right now, it's too early to talk about any transfer in January, when he was initially asked about Guendouzi.
Guendouzi, who is now 26, moved to Lazio in Italy after leaving Marseille. Before that, he played 103 games for Marseille after being initially loaned from Arsenal. This season, he has played 13 times in Serie A and scored twice. Lazio values him at around €25m.
His value was once at £45m when Unai Emery was his coach at Arsenal. But it dropped quickly after Arteta took over.
After arriving in London, Guendouzi played 48 games in his first season and played in every league game during Emery’s second season. But once Arteta became coach in December 2019, his role decreased. He only played a full 90 minutes three times under Arteta and was left out of the squad for the final eight league games of the season.
The breaking point happened in June 2020 at Brighton after Arsenal lost 2-1. Guendouzi argued with Neal Maupay after the game and was accused of taunting Brighton players about their salaries, though this was never officially proven.
A source at the Daily Mail said, He was saying the Brighton players were rubbish and that he and his teammates earn much more than they ever will. Arsenal is a good club and doesn't like that kind of behavior.
There had already been some tension. David Ornstein reported that there was an argument during training in Dubai, which led to Guendouzi being disciplined by Arteta and Edu. His behavior off the field was also questioned.
He never played for Arsenal again.
Arteta often spoke about his strict standards, and Guendouzi’s attitude towards authority had been questioned before in France. Jérémie Aliadière, a former Arsenal and Lorient player, told Le Télégramme, After my last season in Lorient, when he started training and playing with us, I wondered about his attitude. I thought he might need to change a bit.
His loan to Hertha Berlin also got mixed reviews. The coach at the time, Pál Dárdai, said, It's like he's going through puberty; he's a bit of a rebel. He needs to work hard and learn. But Hertha's sporting director, Arne Friedrich, praised his attitude: He's a great player. He’s very calm. He wants the ball all the time, even when he’s under pressure.
Guendouzi later admitted that he made mistakes while working with Arteta, but he doesn't regret his time in England. He told The Athletic, I didn’t work with Arteta much, only for six months. I was 19, so I was learning every day. I wouldn’t make the same mistakes now that I did when I was 19.
He added, I don't regret anything I did at Arsenal. I was 19, and I played 85 games in two years. That's a lot of games for a big club like Arsenal.
HOW JAMES MADDISON’S INDIVIDUAL TRAINING SIGNALS A SHOCK SEASON RETURN
James Maddison returns to individual training as Igor Tudor prepares Tottenham for a vital relegation battle with Forest.
Ahead of Tottenham’s match against Nottingham Forest, manager Igor Tudor gave an update on when James Maddison might return from injury. It’s a crucial moment for Spurs as they prepare to host Forest in what could be the defining 90 minutes of Tudor’s time at the club and quite possibly a key fixture that will shape the season for both teams.
Currently separated by just one point, Tottenham and Forest are locked in a battle against relegation. A win would push Spurs four points clear of the drop zone, while a loss might drag them into the bottom three. The stakes couldn’t be clearer.
Tudor’s side heads into this game with renewed energy, surprisingly positive given the mood just two weeks ago. The draw at Anfield broke a six-game losing streak, and their recent 3-2 victory over Atlético Madrid, though not enough to overturn the aggregate score, brought back a sense of belief. Young players like Xavi Simons and Archie Gray impressed, while Mathys Tel kept the opposition on their toes. The atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was electric in a way fans haven’t felt for months. While the Champions League hopes are dashed, that performance has injected valuable momentum into Spurs’ survival fight.
There’s also some hopeful news on the injury front. Dominic Solanke, who missed the Atlético leg with a hip issue, might be available. His physical presence adds a different dimension to Tottenham’s attack, which Tudor will surely be glad to have.
But the most promising update came from Tudor’s comments about Maddison. The creative midfielder, sidelined since August after rupturing his ACL in a preseason friendly, has begun some individual training, spotted alongside Palhinha. Recoveries from ACL injuries are never straightforward, and the team won’t rush him back. With only seven league games left after Sunday, there’s a narrow window for his return. Still, even the possibility of Maddison getting back on the pitch—someone who can change a game with a moment of skill or a precise pass—offers a much-needed morale boost.
For now, though, the focus remains firmly on Forest.
WHY BORUSSIA DORTMUND EXPECT JADON SANCHO TO SIGN FOR FREE
Unai Emery praises Jadon Sancho despite poor stats, while Dortmund free up £21m in wages to lure him back to Germany.
Borussia Dortmund really want Jadon Sancho back, and they’re hoping to get him for free from Manchester United. Sancho’s contract runs out this summer, and honestly, no one expects United to offer him a new one.
Right now, Sancho’s on loan at Aston Villa. It’s his third spell away from Old Trafford since United signed him for £73 million in 2021. His move to Villa was just a loan with no option to buy.
Villa’s manager, Unai Emery, has hinted he might keep Sancho, but Dortmund aren’t sitting around. The Times says Dortmund didn’t chase wingers last summer because Nico Kovac liked the 3-4-2-1 formation, but now the boss has changed his mind and wants Sancho back.
If Sancho comes back, he'll need to take a hefty pay cut from his £300,000-a-week salary. Still, Dortmund’s where he made his name after moving from Manchester City in 2017.
Dortmund have room in the budget this summer; they let the contracts of Julian Brandt, Niklas Süle, and Salih Özcan run out. That saves them about £21 million a year, and they’re optimistic they can lure Sancho, who’s allowed to strike pre-contract deals with foreign clubs.
Sancho actually spent half of the 2024 season back at Dortmund after Erik ten Hag froze him out at United. He helped them reach the Champions League final, but nothing permanent came of it.
Something similar happened during his loan to Chelsea last season. The club even paid a £5 million penalty just to avoid having to sign him outright. Villa picked him up right at the transfer deadline in September, but, once again, he’s struggled.
So far, Sancho’s got one goal and one assist in 29 games across all competitions. Still, Emery thinks there’s more to come.
When asked in February about signing Sancho for good, Emery said, “Not yet, but he’s a fantastic player. Hopefully, he can help us by improving within our system, like he is doing.
“He’ll need a new contract; maybe it’s here. If he plays his best football, we’ll want him. But other teams will be interested, too.”
Must Read
