Arsenal may have been denied the possibility of earning a transfer windfall this January that could have been used to fund some of their own transfer business. It comes after ex-midfielder Matteo Guendouzi has been linked with an exit from Marseille in the coming weeks.
A report from L'Equipe in the past few days stated that an unnamed Premier League club had made an offer for the 23-year-old, while there was previous links to Aston Villa and a former manager of his in Unai Emery. Guendouzi has impressed since making the switch to France, earning a place in the national team too.
His stock has risen as a consequence of that, with CIES Football Observatory rating him as being worth roughly £35million in the current market. While it could see the Gunners lose out on having that value to sell on, The Athletic reported that a sell-on fee percentage was included in the contract, meaning they would pocket some income themselves from any move.
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That extra money could be vital to Arsenal's transfer business, giving them extra room to make a signing that may not have happened otherwise. "To be smart, we have to see good opportunities and we have to be attractive for players," Mikel Arteta said on transfer dealings. "At the end of the day, players decide where they want to play, and if they want to play for our club, that is great."
That extra windfall may not be coming through for Arsenal though in what could be a huge blow. That's because Marseille president Pablo Longoria denied talks over an exit for Guendouzi, saying: "I read the information in the press like you. There is no conversation between clubs, we haven’t received any offers. I don’t know if it’s discussed with the player’s entourage. It’s that speculation.”
Things could still yet change in the market, but if a deal for Guendouzi happens too late or not at all, the Gunners won't be able to react in the market with a desired buffer of transfer income.
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