Ligue 1: Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi joins Marseille on one-year loan deal-Sports News , Firstpost

File image of Matteo Guendouzi. Reuters

Marseille: Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, who spent last year at Hertha Berlin, has joined Marseille on loan, the French Ligue 1 club announced on Tuesday.

Marseille signed the 22-year-old Frenchman on a one-year deal with an option to buy.

Guendouzi made his Ligue 1 debut for Lorient in 2016 before joining Arsenal two years later.

He made 82 appearances for the Gunners, scoring one goal and came off the bench in the 2019 Europa League final against Chelsea.

Guendouzi scored twice in 24 appearances for Bundelsiga side Hertha Berlin last season.

Thank you Arsenal FC, thanks for everything ! I discovered and learned so much during my time here. It would be impossible to list everything without forgetting one memory or word… But I will never forget any minute spent with the Gunners jersey. pic.twitter.com/LjjlOyzwwM

— Matteo Guendouzi (@MatteoGuendouzi) July 6, 2021

He was called up by France coach Didier Deschamps as cover for Paul Pogba for two Euro 2020 qualifiers but was an unused substitute.

Guendouzi’s arrival comes three days after Marseille signed Argentina defender Leonardo Balerdi on a permanent basis.

Balerdi, who joined on loan from Borussia Dortmund last summer, has signed a five-year deal.

Marseille had already extended the contract of Spanish centre-back Alvaro Gonzalez and signed young US winger Konrad de la Fuente from Barcelona as well as Brazilian midfielder Gerson from Flamengo.