Emmanuel Petit has told Matteo Guendouzi that his Arsenal career is not over despite sealing a move to Marseille.
The French side secured a season-long loan for the midfielder, with an option to buy if he meets certain obligations.
The 22-year-old appears to be surplus to requirements at the Gunners under Mike Arteta as his switch to the South of France is his second successive loan spell following a stint at Hertha Berlin last season.
But former Arsenal midfielder Petit reckons the fact the North London club haven't sold him yet means they are harbouring hopes he could still be a success at the Emirates, despite Marseille having the option to make the move permanent.
Does Matteo Guendouzi still have a chance to revive his Arsenal career? Comment below
If Guendouzi doesn't meet these conditions or the Ligue 1 club does not exercise their option to buy for whatever reason, he could easily find himself returning to the Emirates in a year's time.
And Petit reckons if that's the case, he could revive his Arsenal career.
He told Paddy Power: “Matteo Guendouzi has gone on loan from Arsenal to Marseille, which is a very special place to be a professional footballer. The passion is so high over there and you're living every single day with the fans.
“If you want to succeed at Marseille, you need to show real personality to wear the shirt because the pressure is very high every single day. If you lose a game, you can expect fans to wait for you or find your house, and they will threaten you and scream at you in front of your family.
“That could be a problem for Guendouzi because he can lose his cool very easily. It’s sometimes quite hard for him to control his emotions. Having said that, he’s got quality as a footballer, and he’s got that fighting spirit – which is exactly what’s missing for Arsenal. It’s a shame he hasn’t succeeded at Arsenal yet.
“It could be a perfect marriage between Guendouzi and Marseille, because the fans are going to love him. If he keeps his temper, controls his emotions, and he goes in the right way, it could be a real bonus for them.
“The fact Arsenal have sent him out on loan twice shows they don’t want to sell him right now, they’re still expecting something better from him.”
Emmanuel Petit is a EURO 2020 ambassador for Paddy Power, who is encouraging punters to change bookmaker as part of its ‘Switch for Better’ campaign.
Switching to Paddy will secure free £5 Bet Builders on selected games throughout the tournament. For more details, visit the Paddy Power website. If the grass looks greener, go and play on it!
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