Marseille manager Jorge Sampaoli has stated he is impressed with on-loan Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, citing his leadership as an important factor to his loan success.
The 22-year-old has spent the season with the Ligue 1 club, starting the majority of the games along with Gunners teammate William Saliba.
Both France internationals have continued to impress this season, though it remains to be seen if either will be in Mikel Arteta’s plans when they return from their loans.
Especially in the case of Guendouzi, who the French club have an obligation to buy if certain conditions are met within the deal
It means that Arteta could lose a potential gem going forward, with the youngster seeming to find his feet at the top level.
Another issue is that of the captaincy at the Emirates. Arsenal currently do not have a captain in place, with striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being stripped of the duties due to a disciplinary breach.
The Gabon international has yet to make an appearance since the saga played out, with Alexandre Lacazette taking the armband since then.
The Frenchman is unlikely to be a long-term option for the captaincy position though, with his current deal expiring in the summer and reports linking him with a move away.
That then leaves Arteta with a young squad to pick a leader out of, a tough proposition facing the manager.
Assuming he doesn’t move to Marseille permanently, Guendouzi has been singled out as a potential option by the French club’s manager.
Discussing the 22-year-old’s leadership qualities, Sampaoli said, via GFFN : “Aside from his youth, Mattéo has a particular energy. He has a desire to win and he’s a natural leader.
“We imagined that would be the case but that it would happen over time. Seeing this in addition to his performances, we have an energy that everyone can envy. It’s contagious and it’s a very important value in life.
“Experience is important for everyone but, for young people, sometimes difficult events are not good experiences.
“There’s also personal capacity on the mental side. Guendouzi, for example, he’s 22-years-old but he acts like he’s 30. The most important thing is maturity.”
Whether the Frenchman makes the return to the Emirates remains to be seen, though it sounds like the Gunners could lose out on a potentially huge leadership figure if he does leave the club.
