Aston Villa Open Talks to Sign Matteo Guendouzi
Aston Villa 
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Highlights
Aston Villa are pursuing a move for Marseille’s Guendouzi, according to reports. Guendouzi played under Villa boss Unai Emery at Arsenal between 2018 and 2019. The Frenchman could be brought in to replace Douglas Luiz, who Villa may be forced to sell. Ahead of their return to Europe’s elite club competition for the first time since 1983, Aston Villa have begun plans to bolster their squad this summer and have started formalities in a bid to sign midfielder Matteo Guendouzi from Marseille.
Unai Emery has been a sensation for the Villains in the Midlands since his arrival in 2022. The Spaniard guided the club to their highest finish in his debut season before delivering UEFA Champions League football with a sensational top-four scoop this season. Now, Villa must plan for life amongst the elite and have started to identify potential targets.
According to reports, the club have opened preliminary talks with Guendouzi, according to Football Insider, who played under Emery at Arsenal.
Matteo Guendouzi and Unai Emery Could Reunite This Summer
He joined Arsenal for £7 million in 2018
The French midfielder, 25, was one of Emery’s first signings for the Gunners after succeeding long-standing manager Arsene Wenger at the helm. Guendouzi, who has been described as a ‘tough’ midfielder, went on to play 82 times in two years for Arsenal under both Emery and Mikel Arteta, before he was sent on successive loans to Hertha Berlin and Marseille.
While he was at Marseille, he made his France national team debut under Didier Deschamps and has since represented his country eight times. In 2022 he made his Marseille stay permanent and went on to rack up 103 appearances for the Ligue 1 side before moving to Lazio in another loan deal.
Emery is keen to reunite with Guendouzi – who was ranked ninth by GIVEMESPORT among Emery’s signings in North London – and find the midfielder a permanent home at Villa Park. It is understood Aston Villa have a history with Guendouzi, who was close to joining the club in January 2023 earlier in Emery’s tenure, before he eventually moved to Italy.
Newcastle United are also understood to be tracking Guendouzi as they search the market for cut-price deals, but Emery’s history with the midfielder and Champions League football on offer – a competition Guendouzi has never played in – would likely put Villa in pole position to snap him up.
Guendouzi Could Replace Douglas Luiz
Villa could be forced to sell the Brazilian this summer
Despite qualifying for the Champions League, Aston Villa are one of the six Premier League clubs in danger of breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and are under pressure to sell some of their key players before the June 30 deadline.
Douglas Luiz has been highlighted as one of those players who could move on, and is reportedly on the radar of Arsenal and has been identified as a hopeful target for Serie A side Juventus.
A move for Guendouzi could help to fill the hole Luiz would leave, who played a huge role in Villa’s efforts to secure a top-four finish this season with 15 goal contributions from central midfield.
Matteo Guendouzi stats vs Douglas Luiz in the 2023/24 season (domestic league only)
Guendouzi
Luiz
Appearances
33
35
Goals
2
9
Assists
3
5
Pass success
86.9%
89.4%
Key passes (per game)
0.5
1.5
Tackles (per game)
0.8
1.7
Interceptions (per game)
0.6
0.7
Average match rating
6.50
6.95
Guendouzi does not quite match Luiz’s output, but before Emery’s arrival, Luiz had not produced more than five goal involvements in a single season for Villa in the Premier League. In Emery’s first campaign, Luiz improved his numbers to 12, with six goals and six assists, before improving to nine goals and five assists this term.
Villa and Emery will hope to have the same effect on Guendouzi, should he join the club this summer.
All stats courtesy of WhoScored, correct as of 13/06/2024