Matteo Guendouzi Set to Join Hertha Berlin on Season-Long Loan
By Sean Walsh
Matteo Guendouzi will finally leave Arsenal after a window of uncertainty, with Hertha Berlin set to snap him up on loan.
The 21-year-old fell out with Mikel Arteta towards the start of the Spaniard's reign as manager, and has failed to make his way back into the side following an altercation with Neal Maupay in a 2-1 defeat at Brighton last season.
Since then, he's been shopped around Europe but without success. While there were reports he had been offered to the likes of Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, a move away to an elite club never materialised.
And now the Daily Mirror report that Bundesliga side Hertha will take him on loan after moves to Marseille, Roma and Villarreal (managed by former boss Unai Emery) fell through.
Guendouzi joined Arsenal for an initial £7m from Ligue 2 side Lorient in 2018, but quickly established himself as a key figure in their midfield. He received a call-up to the France senior side in September 2019, but is yet to make his debut for Les Bleus.
He hasn't featured for the Gunners since that incident at Brighton in June, and did not receive an FA Cup winners' medal following their triumph in August.
Meanwhile, Lucas Torreira is also expected to follow Guendouzi out the door as a move to Atletico Madrid nears, and Sead Kolasinac is closing in on a return to Germany with Bayer Leverkusen.
Arsenal's inability to shift their deadwood earlier in the window has meant they have been unable to secure many of their primary transfer targets this window. Negotiations with Lyon over Houssem Aouar reached an impasse, and no progress has been made regarding Thomas Partey of Atletico. Reports suggest they will instead try and push through a deal for Chelsea's Jorginho.