Arsenal manager Unai Emery has been delighted with Matteo Guendouzi’s rapid progress this season, but the club’s coaches have repeatedly told him he was one major weakness he needs to eradicate from his game.
The teenager was the least heralded of the club’s five summer signings, arriving for just £7million as a virtual unknown from Ligue 2 side Lorient.
Guendouzi impressed during the pre-season tour of the Far East and quickly established himself as key member of Emery’s midfield engine room, playing with a maturity way beyond his years.
Despite a series of impressive performances, the Evening Standard reports that Emery’s assistants have regularly reminded him he needs to improve his defensive work and track the runs from opposition midfielders. Read more