Former Arsenal star sold by Mikel Arteta tipped for unexpected Premier League reunion

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Plenty of Arsenal players have come and gone under Mikel Arteta in his reign as manager so far, but he could be set for a reunion with one player he forced out back in 2022.

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has commented on a reunion with his former player Matteo Guendouzi in the Premier League. The duo spent time together at French club Lorient and a move to the Stadium of Light would also see him and Granit Xhaka back on the same team after a four-year period together at Arsenal.

The 26-year-old made 82 appearances for the Gunners before departing in the summer of 2022 to join Marseille after a successful loan spell the previous season. He followed that same pathway at Lazio with a temporary switch followed by a permanent move to Italy 18 months ago.

Having left his home country twice, a second spell in England is entirely possible, but Le Bris was quick to dismiss any rumours. He did seem to hint that a transfer cannot be ruled out, however, when asked about Guendouzi.

The Black Cats' head coach said: "It’s too early to speak about the next transfer window. We still have connections with players, and Matteo is one of these players because I worked with him in Lorient. We stay connected, but at the moment, nothing, it’s too early.”

"We have really good midfielders. We’ll see," he added when asked if Guendouzi could even break into the team given his side's form.

Guendouzi opened up about a strained relationship with Mikel Arteta following his exit from the club three years ago.

"It's true that I didn't have the best relationship with him," he told BeIN Sports back in 2022. "Beyond that, I always tried to work, always gave the maximum of myself in training and in matches. I still play a few matches with him, I still did great performances.

A move to Sunderland could see Guendouzi reunite with another former Arsenal player in Xhaka. The Swiss international faced similar difficulties during his time with the Gunners, though his spell ended on a high note, with fans appreciating the work he did during a challenging time.

Xhaka's recent reunion was met with a good reception from the Arsenal fans. "I had seven fantastic years there [at Arsenal]," he said to Sky Sports before facing off with the Gunners.

"Even today the contact is there with the coaches, with the players, members of the club. I'm just thankful for everything."

Whether Guendouzi could say the same about his experience at Arsenal is unclear, and it is unclear just how well received he would be by the fans. However, there is a whole transfer saga to come before that possibility could arise.