Mikel Arteta warned his squad that he only wants players who are prepared to ‘jump on the boat’ amid reports Matteo Guendouzi is eyeing the Arsenal exit door this summer.
The 21-year-old has been in the headlines this week after clashing with Brighton striker Neal Maupay moments after the final whistle during last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at the Amex Stadium.
Guendouzi, who grabbed the Brighton striker round the throat during the incident, escaped a retrospective ban from the Football Association but didn’t avoid punishment from Arteta, who left him out of his matchday squad for Thursday night’s victory at Southampton.
It is the second time the Spaniard has disciplined the midfielder since taking over in December and French publication L’Equipe reported on Friday that Guendouzi would be open to a transfer this summer, amid reported interest from Inter Milan, Manchester United and Juventus.
The report stated that Guendouzi had made his feelings known during an internal disciplinary meeting with Arteta and the Arsenal hierarchy earlier in the week.
It was also suggested that Arsenal had indicated the club would not stand in Guendouzi’s way should a suitable offer arrive.
And when quizzed on whether he believed the midfielder, who joined from Lorient in 2018, would definitely be part of his squad next summer, Arteta stopped short of offering any guarantees.
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“All the players that are here, I am counting on them,” said Arsenal’s head coach. “If they want to jump on the boat, they are more than welcome and that’s always my mindset.
“I am here to help all of them to improve individually and collectively and that is my job.”
On whether the meeting involving Guendouzi took place earlier in the week, Arteta added: “As I said in the press conference [after Southampton], whatever internal issues we have we will deal with them privately and I am never going to make any of that public.”
Guendouzi has started just four of the 13 Premier League games Arteta has taken charge of since he replaced Unai Emery in December, with the Spaniard preferring the double act of Granit Xhaka and Dani Ceballos in his midfield.
The France Under-21 international could return to the squad for Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Sheffield United, with Kieran Tierney also set to feature despite limping off with cramp against Southampton.
Cedric Soares will be absent again but is closing in on a return after his facial injury, while David Luiz will return from his two-match suspension.