Matteo Guendouzi has confirmed he is leaving Arsenal after three years at Emirates Stadium.
The 22-year-old joined from French club Lorient in 2018 and went on to make 82 appearances for the club in all competitions.
He spent the 2020-21 season on loan at Hertha Berlin and will now be moving on to a new club for the upcoming campaign - with Marseille in advanced talks over a deal for the midfielder.
What did Guendouzi say?
Confirming his departure from Arsenal on Twitter, Guendouzi said: "I will never forget the Emirates Stadium. I will never forget the fans. I won’t forget the city. I will never forget everything I’ve been through here. I will never forget that my only will was to defend with pride Arsenal colours.
"Thanks to all of those who believed in me during my time here, during the good and the bad moments. I can only wish the best to the club and its fans who deserve so much, trust me ! Good bye Arsenal, I will never forget and will be a gooner forever."
Ozil is the best German player - Guendouzi
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Meanwhile, Guendouzi says Mesut Ozil is "clearly" the best German player and revealed the midfielder is like a "brother" to him after their time together at Emirates Stadium.
Guendouzi says the 32-year-old took him under his wing following his arrival from Lorient, helping him settle into life in north London.
Ozil retired from internationals under something of a cloud after their disastrous 2018 World Cup, and he then left Arsenal for Fenerbahce in January having fallen out of favour under boss Mikel Arteta.
Asked who his footballing idol was, Guendouzi told Bild: "Mesut Ozil is a great role model and brother to me.
“Mesut has exceptional ball skills, for example he can play amazing passes. For me, Ozil is clearly the best German player. And he's one of the best number 10s in the history of German football.
"At Arsenal, he immediately took me under his wing and gave me a lot of tips. That's why he's like a big brother to me. Mesut, for example, often said: ‘Keep trust in yourself and your abilities, believe in your strengths, in your game because you have the potential to assert yourself at a top club’.
“I have a lot of respect for him as a footballer, but also as a person. He's a person I admire. Even during my time at Hertha, we were always in contact, often writing to each other or talking on the phone.”
The bigger picture
With Guendouzi's Arsenal imminent departure confirmed it is now expected that he will be signing for Marseille.
As reported by Goal last week, the Ligue 1 outfit have been locked in talks with the Gunners for several weeks over a deal for the midfielder, who has not played for the Gunners since June 2020.
He will initially join Marseille on loan for the 2021-22 season, but the deal includes an obligation to buy next summer, with an official announcement expected within days.
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