Arsenal Not Recalling Matteo Guendouzi is the Right Decision

Arsenal have no plans to recall Matteo Guendouzi from his Hertha Berlin loan.

Who misses Matteo Guendouzi? Well, if you’d have asked that question a couple of months ago when Arsenal were in the midst of a progressive midfield crisis that contributed to the worst start to a season for 50 years, then the answer would’ve been very different to now.

Thomas Partey is en route back from another injury setback, Emile Smith Rowe is earning regular minutes and the football on display in north London is a darn sight more pleasing on the eye. Moreover, it’s garnering positive results.

Even Mohamed Elneny, whose allergy to forward passes has his nose constantly running, is playing regularly and Arsenal are still winning matches.

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Short-term memory loss affects most of a football affiliation. All are guilty. It stems from a necessity to seek solutions from every avenue, even those that previously brought with them issues all of their own.

Arsenal are struggling for urgency, drive and progression in the centre of the park? Guendouzi is the answer!

Not quite. Even when entrenched in their most dire of spells, Guendouzi being involved would have added another compartment of concern to an already faulty piece of machinery.

He was exiled from the squad for his disciplinary issues and questionable attitude. How beneficial would he have been to the confidence-stricken squad who were at their lowest under Mikel Arteta? We can only hypothesise.

Now on loan at Hertha Berlin, talk has reemerged of a January recall for the Frenchman; discussion born out of the impressive outings he’s produced in the German capital. Playing the entirety of the last nine Bundesliga fixtures, the 21-year-old has chipped in with two goals and an assist, garnering plenty of praise along the way.

This is news most excellent. He’s an Arsenal player, sent out on loan to play regularly and continue growing. He’s doing just that.

But he still shouldn’t be recalled.

Matteo Guendouzi Should Stay at Hertha Berlin

As per transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal will not recall Guendouzi early from his time in Berlin, with Hertha intent him seeing out his loan contract.

There are a whole host of reasons why this is the right call, starting with the midfielder’s development. In the six months since he’s been in Germany, Guendouzi will have learned a great deal. On a personal level, he’s moved out of his comfort zone into a new league and language where he’s, hopefully, maturing as a person.

His attitude issues have been prevalent throughout his career, although the unfamiliar surroundings of Hertha may finally force him to focus his energy elsewhere. Besides, on a footballing level, he will play every game this season for the club bar injury, the sort of minutes that are vital at this stage of anyone’s career. Coming back to Arsenal he won’t be granted that luxury.

There are implications on the current squad that would occur as a result of his recall, too. While it’s taken far too long to reach the winning status quo the team are enjoying, those in central areas would be knocked by the decision.

This can be argued the other way. By bringing Guendouzi back, the current crop would be given greater competition and raise their own games as a result. That would be true were it not for the fact that Guendouzi was someone outcast from the squad entirely for having a wretched attitude and left to rot in the reserves.

Recalling that player after a handful of solid outings in Germany would evoke dissimilar feelings within the camp. Apparent unrest in the camp wouldn’t be made much rosier.

It’s not about ‘sending a message’, but the whole saga around his petulance and unwillingness to adhere to the non-negotiables would count for little if he could play ten matches in the Bundesliga and be thrust straight back into the Premier League side.

Arsenal sorely need more (better) midfielders: Lucas Torreira will leave in the summer, Joe Willock could well be loaned out before next term, Dani Ceballos‘ deal runs out at the end of the season, Elneny is unlikely to sign a new deal and question marks remain over Granit Xhaka‘s long-term future.

If Guendouzi continues to impress in Germany then he’s one of few who could help accrue the money needed to replace those set to leave. It won’t be much, but it’s better than nothing. Is the door shut on the Frenchman having a future at Arsenal? Not entirely. It’s barely ajar, mind you.

Only if a suitor was found this window willing to pay an acceptable fee would it make any sense. Nobody is going to do that.

Arsenal are building up to something now. Granted, it’s a winning run in its infancy, yet it’s lifted to mood and changed the outlook. No need disrupting that by recalling Guendouzi now.