According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi bragged about the financial disparity between the Gunners and Brighton.
Guendouzi was involved in a spat with Brighton striker Neal Maupay on Saturday afternoon, as the Gunners lost 2-1 down on the South Coast.
The Frenchman was seen grabbing Maupay by the throat, but has escaped FA sanctions – and reports are now emerging about what exactly Guendouzi said.
It’s stated that Guendouzi spent the game ‘taunting’ Brighton players about their wages, as Brighton’s wage ceiling is around £50,000-a-week – some way short of Arsenal’s highest earner.
Maupay subsequently accused Arsenal players or arrogance, but it’s added that Guendouzi also blamed Maupay for Bernd Leno’s injury and mocked the quality of their players – something that came back to haunt him as Brighton won with a Maupay winner.
Most troubling is that it’s also stated that Guendouzi has exhibited this kind of behaviour in other matches before, and that Arsenal ‘hate’ that.
Guendouzi, 21, is a very talented midfielder and could have a bright future, but incidents like these need to be taken out of his game in order for him to reach the top.
He had a row with boss Mikel Arteta back in February according to The Telegraph, but looked to be back in the good books as he started against Manchester City last week.
Arteta needs to know that he can trust Guendouzi. His quality isn’t in doubt, but his behaviour may lead to him being viewed as a loose cannon – and if he can’t calm that streak, he might end up out of the Arsenal side.
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