Former England striker Darren Bent has claimed that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had serious issues with Matteo Guendouzi’s behaviour during his time at the club, describing the midfielder’s attitude as “stinking”.
Arteta, who took over Arsenal in December 2019, quickly began reshaping the squad by removing players he believed could negatively affect the dressing room environment. While Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s exit drew major headlines, Bent believes Guendouzi was also moved on because of his conduct behind the scenes.
Guendouzi arrived at Arsenal in 2018 from Lorient for £8 million and made an instant impact under Unai Emery, featuring in 48 games during his debut season. However, after several disciplinary concerns under Arteta, his minutes reduced significantly. He was eventually frozen out of first-team activities and omitted from matchday squads.
Darren Bent said Arteta was left with no choice.
“Mikel Arteta got out Guendouzi, whose attitude was stinking. That was a real problem, from what I’ve heard. His attitude was poor, so he obviously had to go,” Bent explained.
Guendouzi was loaned out twice before securing a permanent transfer to Marseille in 2022.
Arteta’s firm approach to discipline and culture has aligned with Arsenal’s return to elite form. After back-to-back second-place finishes in the Premier League and a Champions League semi-final appearance last season, the Gunners are currently top of the table and look like serious contenders.
Bent believes this Arsenal squad now has everything needed to win silverware.
“I definitely think Arsenal can win either the Premier League or the Champions League this season. They’ve finally got depth, two strong players in every position,” he added.
Arsenal face Fulham in their next Premier League fixture, while title rivals Liverpool host Manchester United at Anfield.
