Arsenal's head of recruitment Sven Mislintat says the signing of Matteo Guendouzi was crucial to maintaining the club's reputation for developing young players.
19-year-old Guendouzi joined from French Ligue 2 side Lorient this summer, and has quickly established himself as a regular first-team squad member.
Guendouzi has made 19 appearances for the Gunners in all competitions, scoring his first goal in the Europa League win over Qarabag and earning his first call up to the France U21 squad.
There was some irony in the fact that one of the first signings of the post-Arsene Wenger era was a teenage Frenchman, but Mislintat insists it was important to prove that, despite a change of manager, the club's philosophy remained the same.
“It was an important transfer for us because we wanted to show the world that we were still the old Arsenal which gives opportunities to young players,” Mislintat told German newspaper Die Ziet.
“I saw him when Lorient were still in the French first division. I like Lorient, they always produce interesting players.
“Matteo stood out with his long hair and his personality."
