Guendozi laments absence of ‘fun’ at Arsenal

Liechtenstein's forward Menderes Caglar (L) vies for the ball with and France's midfielder Matteo Guendouzi during the 2021 U21 European Championships qualification football match between Liechtenstein and France on November 12, 2020, at Rheinpark Stadion in Vaduz. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)
Liechtenstein’s forward Menderes Caglar (L) vies for the ball with and France’s midfielder Matteo Guendouzi during the 2021 U21 European Championships qualification football match between Liechtenstein and France on November 12, 2020, at Rheinpark Stadion in Vaduz. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)


French midfielder, Matteo Guendouzi has declared that he left Premier League club Arsenal because he needed to “have fun” following an unhappy last few months in North London.
Guendouzi is currently on loan at Bundesliga club Hertha Berlin for the season, though it appears unlikely he has a future at Arsenal beyond then.  
He was frozen out of first-team affairs at The Emirates after falling out with Mikel Arteta in two separate rows.  There seems to be no way back into Arteta’s good books for the 21-year-old, who says he was left “hurt” by his demotion and lack of playing time.  
“I needed to have fun on the pitch, to regain confidence and that’s what Hertha offers me. It really is a choice I made,” Guendouzi told Telefoot.
“In the space of two seasons I have played more than 80 games with Arsenal.  “When you play less, you start to think and it hurts.”  Guendouzi first crossed boss Arteta during a warm weather training camp in Dubai when he had a bust-up with a teammate in training.
The 21-year-old made 57 league appearances for the Gunners.