"You have to control your emotions" - Arsenal legend slams midfielder amid uncertainty over his future

In a recent interview, Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit commented on the situation surrounding Matteo Guendouzi at the Emirates. Petit claims the youngster must control his emotions if he wants to play for the Gunners in the future.

"I think things happened too quickly for Matteo Guendouzi at a time where he wasn't strong enough mentally," Petit said. "He has a volcanic personality... He's had arguments with referees, opponents, sometimes his own teammates, and I think this is something he has to control. If you want to reach the highest level and stay there, you have to control your emotions

After public spats with teammates, referees, and the manager himself, Guendouzi was deemed surplus to requirements at Arsenal and is currently on a loan spell at Hertha Berlin.

Petit believes that the Frenchman must control himself if he wants to play under Mikel Arteta again because he still has the ability to become a good player.

"He needs to realise this and adapt very quickly because I think he still has qualities and can bring something to Arsenal. When you can't control your emotions, it's very hard for your teammates to work with you, it's hard for your fans to back you and it's hard to keep out of the press," said the Frenchman.

"Most importantly, it's hard for your manager to pick you. I remember he had a fight with Mikel Arteta, and after that, we didn't see him again in an Arsenal shirt," Petit said. "You need to keep in mind that at the end of the day, you are just a player. Until you are the best player in the world, which you are not, you shut your mouth and keep working hard," added Petit.

Matteo Guendouzi told "shut your mouth" amid uncertainty over Arsenal future https://t.co/UTRS95YTdY pic.twitter.com/fwYLrE8oe7

— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) April 7, 2021

Emmanuel Petit believes Matteo Guendouzi can return to Arsenal; cites Granit Xhaka as an example

Matteo Guendouzi

Emmanuel Petit believes that Guendouzi still has a future at Arsenal, citing the example of Granit Xhaka, who made his way back into the team after being criticised heavily by fans.

"Is there a future there for him at Arsenal? It's not too dissimilar to the situation with Granit Xhaka a few years ago when he threw his shirt on the floor and fans turned against him," said Petit.

"We thought his career at Arsenal was over, but after a while, he worked his way back into the team and fans forgave him. He's done well since he returned. You have the right to make mistakes, especially when you're young. But you then have ab obligation to learn from your mistakes," the Frenchman added.

Hertha Berlin Sporting Director Arne Friedrich on Guendouzi: "When you talk about Guendouzi & see his skills, you realise that he is a great player. I’ve also read that he had problems at #Arsenal but here he behaves very well. He puts all of himself on the field" pic.twitter.com/eRHOveEWxt

— Gurjit (@GurjitAFC) April 4, 2021

However, Petit claimed that Mikel Arteta does not want Matteo Guendouzi back in the Arsenal team, which makes a return to the Emirates very unlikely.

"I wouldn't mind seeing him back at Arsenal but I don't think Arteta wants him back and that's the main problem," the former player concluded.