Arsenal opinion: Guendouzi to get a bumper new deal – a no-brainer

According to a report in Sun, Arsenal are ready to reward young midfielder Matteo Guendouzi with a new contract after a successful first season in the Premier League.

The 20-year-old, who is currently one of the lowest paid players at Arsenal, will get a bumper contract worth £75,000-per-week (h/t Sun). In terms of performance level, bearing in mind that this was his first season in England, he deserves every plaudit.

Guendouzi was a virtually unknown player, who was bought by the Gunners for £8m last summer from Lorient (h/t Sky Sports). Upon his arrival, many expected him to play a backup role in the team.

But Sunday’s final league game against Burnley marked the midfielder’s 47th appearance of the season. This count has been bettered only by the trio of  Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Lucas Torreira.

Hence, it is clear that the 20-year-old is now one of the integral members of the Arsenal squad. Below, we analyse him as a player and dissect his performance this season to justify why the Gunners are right in offering a bumper deal.

Guendouzi’s performances defy his age

In the 33 league appearances made by Matteo Guendouzi in his first season in England, the Frenchman has shown that he possesses enough qualities to become a star in the upcoming years.

He generally plays as a defensive-minded central midfielder, in a midfield pivot. At times, we have seen him play the number eight role and impact the game in both boxes.

If we look at some of his stats, the 20-year-old has a pass completion rate of 87.7%, a return that top midfielders would be proud of.

We always talk that good players help the team even when they do not have possession. Guendouzi doesn’t mind making tackles in the midfield and aiding the team without the ball at his feet.

The youngster has made 44 successful tackles this season, with a success rate of 59%. He has also made 167 ball recoveries, at an average of five per game, which is pretty good. (stats – Premier League, Whoscored)

When we see the youngster play, we tend to forget that he is still only 20 years old and has a long career ahead. He must have learnt a lot from his first season in England.

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Conclusion

Arsenal have always been a club who like to promote young players and make them world beaters in due course of time. In Guendouzi, Unai Emery’s men have got a gem of a midfielder, who will only improve from now on. Hence, offering an improved deal is a no-brainer of a decision.