Matteo Guendouzi's permanent move to Marseille has been completed. After being initially loaned out by the Gunners due to a fallout with Mikel Arteta, the Frenchman has managed to turn his successful spell with the Ligue 1 giants into a long-term arrangement.
This was confirmed by Les Phocéens president Pablo Longoria who told RMC Sport that the now former Emirates Stadium starlet will remain at the Stade Velodrome until 2025. With four goals and 11 assists to his name this season, Marseille fans will welcome this news.
The Gunners will also be pleased with this as well. While the north London giants would have preferred to receive a higher transfer fee than the £9M they will now get, the Premier League side were simply keen on getting him off the books after being frozen out of the team due to disciplinary issues.
However, what Arsenal will not appreciate is Guendouzi's parting message. The 22-year-old spoke up about this permanent move and threw a jibe at his former employers, stating that this decision was arguably the best choice he has made in years.
"It was a carefully considered choice," the midfielder told RMC Sport.
"There were very good discussions with the president, with the coach and people in my family. We really made the best decision altogether. For me, it's the best choice I've made in many years.
"President Longoria and coach [Jorge] Sampaoli are the people who introduced me to the project and made me want to come. We talked about Marseille's project, what I could bring to the team, how I was going to grow.
"I found myself in this speech, I knew that when I came here, I was going to cross levels and continue to grow, whether it was humanly or football-wise."
While his unprofessional remarks aimed at Brighton's Neal Maupay a few years back looked to have been the final straw for Guendouzi's time in north London, the Frenchman racked up a series of poor conduct since joining the Premier League giants at the age of 19.
This move looks to have benefited both parties, however. The player is back to his best on the pitch and is at a club challenging for UEFA Champions League football. Arsenal, meanwhile, are one of the favorites for a top-four finish, with the north London side currently sitting only a point behind fourth-placed Manchester United.
