A sensational swap deal involving Matteo Guendouzi and Philippe Coutinho could be a possibility as Arsenal and Barcelona discuss a potential move.
According to Foot Mercato, Arsenal and Barcelona are discussing a potential swap deal involving Matteo Guendouzi and Philippe Coutinho. It could be a landmark deal for both clubs as they are pretty much unhappy with their respective players.
Guendouzi, in particular, has had a difficult time at Arsenal following the arrival of Mikel Arteta. He has often found himself frozen out of the starting lineup due to his lack of discipline and an overly aggressive attitude that haven’t tuned in well with the Spaniard’s man-management.
It all started earlier this year when the young midfielder was involved in a bust-up with Arteta and the coaching staff during the team’s training camp in Dubai. As a result, the Frenchman was dropped from the team.
Guendouzi did feature in the first two games of the restart period. But, his feud with Neal Maupay, in the game against Brighton & Hove Albion once again left Arteta unimpressed. And unsurprisingly, he hasn’t featured since.
On the pitch, Arsenal have found luck with Granit Xhaka and Dani Ceballos, both of who have done exceptionally well since the restart. And it seems like the Gunners could push for the permanent signing of Ceballos while Guendouzi is unlikely to be included in Arteta’s plans next season.
Meanwhile, Coutinho is enduring an equally disappointing campaign at Bayern Munich. His debut season in the Bundesliga has been marred by injuries and lack of game-time.
The Brazilian is set to return to Barcelona following the end of his loan spell in Bavaria. But, much like Guendouzi, Coutinho does not have any future at the club as the Catalans look for a massive rebuild under Quique Setien this summer.
That is why a swap deal between Coutinho and Guendouzi does make sense. The initial report from Foot Mercato already claims that the Brazilian playmaker imagines himself playing in the Premier League next season and Arsenal could be an ideal destination.
The Gunners have significantly improved under Arteta and more than capable of challenging for the top four next season. Coutinho, in that regard, should add the added dynamism and creativity that could make the attack much more effective while his experience in the Premier League should also come in handy.
As for Barcelona, they could certainly use someone like Guendouzi. The Frenchman could be considered as a potential long-term option in midfield, especially with players like Sergio Busquets, Arturo Vidal and Ivan Rakitic nearing the final phase of their career.
