Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta wants players that are ready to “jump on the boat”, amid rumours midfielder Matteo Guendouzi is open to leaving the club this summer.
Guendouzi has been in spotlight since the Premier League’s restart earlier this month and his attitude has been questioned.
The midfielder was involved in a flare-up with fellow Frenchman Neal Maupay after Arsenal’s loss to Brighton on Saturday and he appeared to grab the striker’s throat.
Guendouzi escaped an FA ban, but he was dropped by Arteta from the squad that won 2-0 at Southampton on Thursday night.
Since then, reports in the French media have claimed the 21-year-old is open to leaving this summer in search of a new challenge.
And asked if in his mind Guendouzi would definitely be an Arsenal player next season, Arteta replied: “All the players that are here, I am counting on them.
“If they want 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.”
News of Guendouzi possibly seeking a move away from Arsenal emerged in French newspaper L’Equipe on Friday morning.
They claim the midfielder raised the subject during an internal discipline meeting about his future this week, which came about due to the clash with Maupay at Brighton.
Arteta was asked on Friday if such a meeting took place and said: “As I said in the press conference, whatever internal issues we have we will deal with them privately and I am never going to make any of that public.”
