Mikel Arteta reportedly faced a significant issue with former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, whose poor attitude became a major problem for the club.
Arteta’s Standoff: How a ‘Stinking’ Attitude Forced Guendouzi Out of Arsenal
This insight comes from former England striker Darren Bent, who discussed the matter publicly.
When Arteta took charge of Arsenal in December 2019, he immediately focused on changing the team’s culture. He made it his mission to remove players he considered negative influences.
While the public stripping of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s captaincy is the most famous example, his handling of Guendouzi was equally firm.
Guendouzi had initially been a promising signing for the Gunners. Former manager Unai Emery brought him in from Lorient in 2018, praising him as a “talented young player” with “big potential.”
The French midfielder featured heavily in his first season. However, his standing at the club changed drastically under Arteta.
The new manager quickly limited Guendouzi’s playing time. Arteta eventually excluded him from the first-team squad altogether, citing serious concerns over the player’s “attitude and general conduct.”
This led to two loan spells away from the Emirates Stadium before Guendouzi completed a permanent transfer to Marseille in 2022.
Discussing the situation, Darren Bent stated that Arteta was right to act. “Mikel Arteta got out Guendouzi, whose attitude was stinking,” Bent said on talkSPORT.
“That was a real problem, from what I’ve heard. I’m not obviously making these rumours up, but this is what I’ve heard.”
History appears to support Arteta’s decisive action. After a period of rebuilding, Arsenal have become consistent title challengers, finishing second in the Premier League for the last two seasons.
The team currently leads the league table, demonstrating that the manager’s tough decisions have paid off in creating a disciplined and competitive squad.
