By Joseph Chapman
Lazio midfielder and France international – and previously an Aston Villa transfer target – Matteo Guenzoudi could be allowed to leave the Serie A club this summer if they receive a suitable fee, after they failed to qualify for Europe and need to raise funds for their own recruitment.
Former Arsenal playmaker Guendouzi worked with Unai Emery previously at Arsenal and he has long been tipped to summon him back to England and the Premier League while boss of Villa. He left in 2021 to join Marseille and while back in France he was strongly linked with Villa, following Emery’s appointment.
Instead, Guendouzi – who has 14 caps for Les Bleus – moved to Italy and joined Lazio, initially on a loan deal. Under former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri, Lazio – like AC Milan, and Bologna who were also in the Champions League last season – missed out on Europe altogether, having been pipped to a Conference League place by Fiorentina on goal difference.
It means that, without the money received for competing in Europe, Lazio may have to sell this summer before they consider spending on their own transfer business – and reports in Italy suggest that Guendouzi is a player who could be sacrificed if a club was to come forward with an offer which triggered his £43m release clause.
Newcastle United and also newly promoted Sunderland have also been linked with moves to bring Guendouzi back to England; the former have Champions League football to offer, while the latter have a strong French contingent already on Wearside and have spent big to sign midfielders Enzo Le Fee and previously Ligue 1 based Habib Diarra after promotion.
Villa aren’t short of midfielders; John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans are among Emery’s front-line options, although there remains uncertainty about the long-term future of Kamara who is yet to agree fresh terms. Villa, who also have Ross Barkley in that department, could field interest in Jacob Ramsey too.
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