Matteo Guendouzi could be on his way back to the Premier League just six months after leaving Arsenal under a cloud.
The midfielder, 23, joined Marseille in a permanent deal worth £9million last summer following a successful season on loan with the Ligue 1 club. That came after he fell out with Gunners manager Mikel Arteta in June 2020 and spent the subsequent campaign on loan at Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga.
Guendouzi lost his composure in a Premier League clash against Brighton and was involved in a fiery encounter with Neal Maupay, with Arsenal going on to lose the match. While never regained Arteta's trust and their relationship deteriorated, the France international got on well with the Spaniard's predecessor, Unai Emery.
Emery was the man who brought Guendouzi to Emirates Stadium in 2018 but was sacked after 18 months as Arsenal manager. He has since returned to England to take charge of Aston Villa and is intent on reuniting with his former player, according to French outlet Foot Mercato.
The report claims Emery has made contact with Guendouzi to tell him he is his priority target for the January transfer window. Marseille are reluctant to let one of their prized assets depart midway through the season, but a bid of £26.5million could be enough to convince them to sell up.
Emery monitored Guendouzi's progress at Lorient during his trophy-laden stint at the helm of Paris Saint-Germain between 2016 and 2018. The manager's time at Arsenal was less successful but he won a remarkable fourth Europa League title at Villarreal in 2021 and succeeded Steven Gerrard at Villa Park in late 2022.
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In his first transfer window in charge of the Midlands club, Emery is keen to stamp his mark on the squad, so signing a player he knows well could be an ideal strategy. Guendouzi made 82 appearances for Arsenal, scoring once, while he has netted three times in 15 games for Marseille this season.
He has made no secret of his fondness for Emery in the past and took to Twitter to praise his former manager after Villarreal defeated Manchester United in the Europa League final. Guendouzi wrote: "What a journey! This Football… so smart and elegant! You made the dream of an entire city, of a club, a team, and of all the fans come true! You did it ! You know how to win trophies! Hats off Monsieur Emery. You are so unique."
Guendouzi has never won a major trophy at club level but was a member of the France squad which won the Nations League in 2021. He also travelled to Qatar for the World Cup and made one appearance to help Les Bleus reach the final, where they were beaten by Argentina.
