Arsenal: Firecracker Matteo Guendouzi more than exactly right

Arsenal have a special one in Matteo Guendouzi. Now it’s just a matter of taking him at even more than his word. Which could be even more special.

Arsenal‘s fourth and (perhaps) final signing of the summer was really Unai Emery’s first project signing. Everyone else came ready made, they were all set to impact the first team and do their thing, and then comes Matteo Guendouzi, 19-years old and pining for greatness.

We have seen a lot of movement among the most promising youth products at the academy. Namely, Jeff Reine-Adelaide has moved on to Angers after three years with the Gunners. Three years in which he was never able to make the necessary progress.

In his stead comes Emile Smith Rowe, who is already showcasing some fantastic talents, and begs to be considered for first team minutes.

But Guendouzi has to rank somewhere above all of this talk of developing youth because, by his standard, he is already ready for first team inclusion, and he is determined to prove that to Unai Emery.

A young guy that doesn’t just want to be a star at this club, but has to be a star. He isn’t content waiting, he wants it right now. Meaning that the effort will never be lacking. Or, rather, using his own words, meaning “it’s all about work, work work.”

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Maybe this is a point that should go without saying, but when is the last time that we had a young player so fresh into his tenure with the club already calling for more opportunity, more chances, more everything?

Correct answer is, well, nobody can say for sure, but surely something along the lines of “not recently.

Guendouzi has the mentality of someone who can make things uncomfortable for guys that need a bit of discomfort. His determination, even if it doesn’t immediately translate to more time in the first team, is going to drive some of the senior guys to do more in training, to prove more in games, because if they don’t, they know someone is behind them, grinding their teeth in anticipation for their mistake.

I love to hear things like this, as we all should. A 19-year-old who has only been at the club a month and he wants to see himself into the thick of it before competitive play has even begun.

Needless to say, he is doing just about everything right thus far into his North London career.