Arsenal have signed 19-year-old midfielder Matteo Guendouzi from Lorient, but who is the France youth international? We profile the teenager... New Arsenal manager Unai Emery has wasted no time in updating his squad, adding his fifth signing of the summer alongside Stephan Lichtsteiner, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Bernd Leno and Lucas Torreira. Sky sources understand the fee for Guendouzi will be in the region of £8m, but as a relative unknown on British shores, who is the new arrival and where could he fit at Arsenal? We take a look... Fact file Name Matteo Guendouzi Age 19 Nationality French League apps last season 18 Career so far... Born in the suburbs of Paris on April 14, 1999, Guendouzi joined the academy of Paris Saint-Germain in 2005 and spent nine years in their youth ranks before joining Lorient's youth set-up in 2014. While there, he featured for the Lorient B side - making 24 appearances - before graduating to the first team at the age of 17, making his debut on October 15, 2016, in a 2-1 league defeat to Nantes. He went on to make to make seven more appearances for Lorient in the 2016/17 season as the club were relegated to Ligue 2, but Guendouzi has shined in France's second tier. Image: Matteo Guendouzi spent two years in the Lorient first team The 19-year-old made 18 league appearances for Lorient last term as the club finished in seventh place - just missing out on promotion - although he was frozen out of the squad for three months after a dispute with head coach Mickael Landreau during a game against Valenciennes in November and he was withdrawn at half-time. After making a comeback into the side, he then missed the final four games of the season, reportedly because of his reluctance to sign a new deal with his then-contract expiring in July 2019 and other teams beginning to take an interest, with Arsenal having now won the race for his signature. Internationally, he has represented France at U18, U19 and U20 level - scoring once for the latter two age groups - and has been compared to fellow countryman Adrien Rabiot. Where would he fit at Arsenal? Image: The midfielder is Unai Emery's fifth summer signing It remains to be seen if Guendouzi will go straight into the Arsenal first team or spend time out on loan, although the price tag would suggest he could go into the senior set-up despite the step up from Ligue 2 to the Premier League. He can play as a defensive or central midfielder and it is an area that Arsenal have needed to improve upon for a few seasons, and he could partner fellow new signing Torreira in that area. Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Mohamed Elneny will also be competing for spots, and any combination of the four could be deployed by Emery, although Guendouzi's age and lack of top-level football could see him further down the pecking order at the start of his Arsenal career. But Lorient have a history of producing good quality players - including Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny, who made the same move as Guendouzi in 2010 - and the midfielder is certainly a player the Gunners can bank for the future. What they said... Guendouzi on his move: "It's something I'm immensely proud of. Arsenal have always been the team closest to my heart and a side I've wanted to join since I was a child. It gives me great pride - it's incredible. "I hope I can do great things here. It doesn't get any better than coming to a club like this, with so much history, like Arsenal. I'm hugely proud. My hope is to become a top player here at Arsenal." Arsenal head coach Emery: "We are delighted Matteo is joining us. He is a talented young player and a lot of clubs were interested in him. He has big potential and gained good first-team experience last season with Lorient. He wants to learn and improve and will be an important part of our first-team squad."<doc-sep>The midfielder has completed his move from Lorient and Goal takes a look at the attributes he will bring to Unai Emery's squad Arsenal have completed their fifth signing of the summer with 19-year-old defensive midfielder Matteo Guendouzi joining from Ligue 2 side Lorient. Unai Emery had already secured the services of Stephan Lichtsteiner , Bernd Leno and Sokratis Papastathopoulos , while the most recent signing of Uruguay star Lucas Torreira will also strengthen a previous area of weakness for the Spaniard’s side. The Gunners will pay in the region of £7m plus bonuses for Guendouzi after head of recruitment Sven Mislintat recommended the player to Emery. But what kind of player is he and why were the club so keen to sign him? Guendouzi started his career as a youth player at Paris Saint-Germain before moving to Lorient in 2014. He made his debut as a 17-year-old in October 2016 before going on to make seven first-team appearances in the top flight, completing 91.2% of his passes in his debut season. He seemed to have nailed down a place in the starting XI in the early stages of last season after Lorient’s relegation but he was frozen out of the squad for three months after a dispute with head coach Mickael Landreau at half-time in a match against Valenciennes in November. The lack of game time was reportedly due to Guendouzi’s reluctance to sign a new contract and reports in France suggest he has a reputation as someone who can be tricky to manage, although Lorient are not considered to have handled the situation well. In terms of playing style, Guendouzi, who has been capped at Under-18, Under-19 and Under-20 level is a physical, combative midfielder with an eye for a pass who is technically astute and capable of playing under pressure. His main strength lies in his reading of the game with his penchant for interceptions and, although he is not a proficient tackler, he picks his moments well and usually comes away with the ball when he swoops in. Guendouzi was one of his team’s best passers last season and is known not only for his accuracy but the danger he creates as he favours long diagonal balls or sharp passes down channels between full-backs and centre-backs. Although quite tall, his weakness in the air has been exposed at times as he tends to get beaten in aerial battles. Mesut Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are a few examples of Arsenal's riches in attack, but the position in front of the defence is an area they have needed to bolster for several seasons now. He could compete with Ainsley Maitland-Niles for a place in Arsenal’s defensive midfield position and it’s likely that he will feature sporadically over the next season or so while a loan move to aid his development could also prove beneficial. Arsenal fans should not expect too much of a player who still has a long way to develop before he will emerge as a key figure for the Gunners, but as a great learner and clear talent, they have captured a quality prospect.<doc-sep>The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel How can Arteta strengthen this summer? Get all your latest Gunners news Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign me up! Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Arsenal are set to land French Under-20 international Matteo Guendouzi. Ligue 2 club Lorient are believed to have agreed a transfer fee of just over £7million with Arsenal for Guendouzi's signature. Arsenal have already swooped for Bernd Leno, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Sokratis Papastathopoulos this summer, with Lucas Torreira also on the verge of joining now Uruguay are out of the World Cup. And now the midfielder is poised to become Unai Emery's latest addition, with Lorient agreeing a fee with the Gunners. It is claimed by numerous sources in the French press that a five-year contract has been agreed and he will fly to London on Monday to complete his medical. (Image: Icon Sport) (Image: Getty Images Europe) Guendouzi, 19, shot onto the scene when Lorient were in Ligue 1 two years ago, continually impressing despite his young age. He has stuck with them in the second tier, where he has continued to play a key role in the centre of midfield. Get France Football say that Guendouzi has been utilised in a deep-lying midfield role over the past 12 months, having previously been more of a box-to-box midfielder. (Image: Icon Sport) (Image: Getty Images Europe) Guendouzi's performances have been likened to those of Yacine Adli, the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder who Arsenal missed out on at the very final hurdle earlier this summer. Manchester City and Tottenham have both also been linked with Guendouzi in the past.<doc-sep>
Arsenal have completed a deal for French youth international Matteo Guendouzi. The Lorient midfielder has join the Gunners on a five-year contract after an initial £7million fee was agreed. He is Arsenal's fifth summer signing, having already been pictured signing a contract. Guendouzi follows Bernd Leno, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Uruguay international Lucas Torreira through the door at the Emirates. But what sort of a player is Guendouzi? Our friends at football.london took a closer look at the hot prospect. (Image: Arsenal FC) (Image: Icon Sport) Who is Matteo Guendouzi? The 19-year-old defensive midfielder started his youth career with Paris Saint-Germain and moved to Lorient in 2014 from the current Ligue 1 champions. Having made his debut for the B side during the 2015-16 season, Guendouzi made his debut as a substitute for the first team in their 2-1 home defeat against Nantes in October 2016. With a further eight appearances to his name that campaign, the midfielder played in 20 games in all competitions for his side last year as they finished 7th in Ligue 2. Guendouzi has represented his country at U18, U19 and U20 level. (Image: Getty Images Europe) Who else wanted him? Spurs were linked with a move for the player during the January transfer window, while Manchester City were also believed to be keen on a move for the youngster. Although a move didn't materialise at the start of the year, Guendouzi will be plying his trade in the top flight come August. (Image: Icon Sport) How much is he worth? Lorient wanted around €9m for their player amid interest from Premier League sides. The French club received an offer of €5m for Guendouzi back in January, although that was knocked back immediately. However, Lorient have cashed in and agreed to sell him to the Gunners for around £7million. (Image: Getty Images Europe) How did he do last season? Guendouzi did very well for Lorient last season when he played following their relegation from Ligue 1 in 2016/17. After making a handful of appearances for his side in the French top flight, the midfielder played on a regular basis for his side last term, including 17 appearances in Ligue 2. However, he soon found himself out of the team with many believing his absence was down to the fact that he would not sign a new contract at the club. Seen as one of the best upcoming talents in French football, the midfielder has earned comparisons with PSG star Adrien Rabiot. Yet to find the net for Lorient, Guendouzi is known for his role in front of defence and breaking play up.