Arsenal and Matteo Guendouzi: Now that is a no-brainer contract

Arsenal are reportedly preparing a £70,000-a-week contract offer for Matteo Guendouzi. Unlike the trickier Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang situation, that is a no-brainer deal to thrash out.

Earlier this week, it was reported by The Daily Telegraph that Arsenal are preparing a contract offer to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang which could take the top goalscorer’s wage into the same region as highest-earner, Mesut Ozil, thanks to a series of complicated clauses, largely related to qualification for the Champions League.

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While Aubameyang has been superb for the Gunners ever since his debut 18 months ago, scoring more Premier League goals than any player in the league other than Mohamed Salah during that span, given his age, 30, and the resources that might be ploughed into the striker position, Arsenal should take great care with the structure of the offer. If not executed with awareness, it could backfire.

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On Wednesday morning, it was then reported that Matteo Guendouzi could be in line for a bumper new contract. According to The Daily Mail, Unai Emery is keen to lock down the 20-year-old to a long-term deal, potentially doubling his wages to £70,000-a-week for the next five years. Guendouzi has just under three years remaining on his present contract and there is an eagerness to secure his long-term future in case the big guns come calling next summer.

This situation is very different from the Aubameyang one. In this case, agreeing to a new contract with Guendouzi is absolute no brainer. He has flourished in a first-team role since his arrival last summer, stepped up his performance level in his two starts so far this season, and looks set to take a key role in the heart of the midfield for throughout the remainder of the campaign. And all at just 20 years old.

The key disparity between offering Guendouzi a contract and Aubameyang a contract is age. There are ten years between the two. They are at completely different ends of their careers. Financially investing substantial wages in a 30-year-old is not the most prudent move. There is little re-sale value and long-term advantage.

With Guendouzi, however, not only would Arsenal be ensuring that he plays his football at the Emirates and not anywhere else; if a major club was to come calling and Guendouzi wanted to leave, which is not inconceivable whatsoever, the Gunners are in a very strong negotiating position knowing that he cannot simply ride out the final year or two of his contract and then leave for nothing — this, incidentally, is precisely what should have happened with Robin van Persie, Alexis Sanchez, Aaron Ramsey and plenty of others.

And even if Guendouzi does not fulfil his tremendous potential and his development stalls over the coming years, by having him under a long contract that was agreed early on, he is still not costing a whole lot. £70,000-a-week is a reasonable amount for a mere squad player, which is what Guendouzi will be at the very least.

With the summer window now shut and the season getting underway, Arsenal’s focus should turn to retaining talent, not just adding it. And that starts with Matteo Guendouzi, who’s new contract should be an absolute no-brainer.