'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#2 Matteo Guendouzi
Age: 20
Club: Arsenal
Market Value: €45 million
Matteo Guendouzi was born in Poissy, France, and joined Paris Saint-Germain's academy in 2005, staying there for nine years before switching over to Lorient. He made his first-team debut in October 2016, after representing the club's B team. The club were relegated that season, and Guendouzi played 21 times for them in Ligue 2, as they finished 7th.
In the summer of 2018, Guendouzi signed for Arsenal, brought to the club by new manager Unai Emery, whose eye he had caught while at Lorient. He has already made 43 appearances for the North London club and has firmly established himself as a fan-favourite.
If Koopmeiners was someone who could match the passing range and ability of Modric, then Guendouzi is someone who exceeds the Croatian's work rate and combativeness in midfield.
The Frenchman makes 1.8 tackles and 1.4 interceptions a game, a total of 3.2 ball recoveries, exactly the same as Modric, who makes 1.5 tackles and 1.7 interceptions; perhaps a function of him being able to read the game better due to his superior experience.
Guendouzi also completes 3.8 long balls per game, and 52.2 short passes at an overall completion rate of 89%, so he is no slouch when it comes to distribution, and also manages to draw 2 fouls per game, as opposed to Modric's 1.3.
Another important point is that this number would be likely to go up if Guendouzi made the move to Madrid, due to the difference in physicality between the English Premier League and LaLiga, and could enable them to take advantage by using the dangerous set-piece delivery of Toni Kroos.
It would take quite a heavy investment to prise Guendouzi away from London, but if Arsenal fail to qualify for the Champions League this season as well, don't bet against it happening.
