This article forms part of our Profit Players feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how well a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how good of a deal the club managed to achieve.
Sven Mislintat may have had a short-lived spell at the Emirates Stadium, however, it could well prove to be a profitable one for the Gunners. The German proved to be a key man in the signing of the Frenchman, going out of his way to scout Matteo Guendouzi before his £8m (per the Daily Mail) move to north London.
In an interview, Mislintat said: “I saw him at FC Lorient when the club still was in the first division.”
“But I also concentrated on his weaknesses. Are they trainable? Matteo ran unnecessarily across the whole pitch, but I was sure that it would only be a matter of training and time before he learned when to run.”
“It was an important transfer for us because we wanted to show the world – we’re still the old Arsenal, which gives opportunities to younger players.” (Source: Arseblog)
The transfer of Guendouzi is one that proved smart almost immediately, with the 20-year-old putting in a brilliant performance on his debut against Manchester City. Pundit Martin Keown praised the midfielder, saying he was ‘brave’ and showed ‘good energy’ during the encounter (via The Daily Star).
The France youth international has only gone from strength to strength, and this season has the highest pass accuracy of any player to have started all six games (via WhoScored). Guendouzi has also shown his defensive strengths, making the joint-most interceptions and the third-most tackles of anyone in the Arsenal squad.
All this has culminated in the youngster’s transfer value skyrocketing to an unbelievable price. According to Transfermarkt, Guendouzi is currently valued at £40.5m, a rise of more than £30m from the £8m Arsenal paid back in July 2018.
As shown this season, he is already a key player for Arsenal, being one of only four outfield players to have started all six league games. With Guendouzi only 20 years old, he is sure to improve to unbelievable heights and can be a stalwart in the Gunners’ midfield for years to come.
Just how good a signing has the Frenchman been? Join the discussion by commenting below…
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