Marseille legend Erik de Meco is loving the impact Matteo ‘the maniac’ Guendouzi has made at the French giants on loan from Premier League strugglers Arsenal, in quotes reported by Football Club Marseille.
There has never been any doubt about the footballing pedigree of a man who, in the words of Gunners teammate Alexandre Lacazette, has the work-rate, talent and force of personality required to become ‘one of the best players in his position’ the world over.
Unfortunately, Guendouzi’s mouth can sometimes move quicker than his brain.
Random acts of indiscipline, on and off the pitch, soon wore thin with the disciplinarian Mikel Arteta.
Despite an impressive spell at Hertha Berlin last season, Guendouzi was farmed out once again this summer, joining Marseille on another short-term deal.
But at the age of 22, the poodle-haired former PSG prospect appears to be growing into a man at Marseille – much to the delight of someone who claimed four Ligue 1 titles and the 1993 European Cup at the Stade Velodrome.
Will Marseille be the making of Matteo Guendouzi?
“I was talking about recruiting players we did not know, who are ready to hatch, who have great potential. Maybe out of the four or five Marseille signed, there will only be two or three who will explode,” said De Meco, believing that Guendouzi’s forceful nature is getting the best out of his L’OM teammates.
“For me, the one who symbolizes this aggressiveness and the recruitment of players we need is Matteo Guendouzi.
“The guy still owned by Arsenal. He is a player who is a safe bet, who has great potential but who needs to revive (his career). He is a boy who has a big personality, who makes an impression on his team and on the opposing team.
“When you watch him, it is he who puts in the most commitment. (Boubacar) Kamara, (Valentin) Rongier are also capable. But the maniac, the watchdog and the one who is able to drag up his team-mates, it’s Guendouzi.
“And it’s important to sign a guy like that because he needs to revive (his career) and his character is perfectly suited to OM and what Jorge Sampaoli wants to do.”
It is understood that Marseille have an option-to-buy clause in Guendouzi’s contract. On current form, a reported price-tag of just £10 million looks a bargain.
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