Official | Marseille’s Mattéo Guendouzi joins Lazio on loan | OneFootball

Olympique de Marseille midfielder Mattéo Guendouzi (24) has officially joined Serie A side Lazio on loan with an option to make the move permanent, both clubs have announced.

The 24-year-old midfielder was no longer an undisputed starter at Marseille. Guendouzi joined Les Phocéens from Arsenal two years ago in a €11m deal. He quickly became a fan favourite at the Vélodrome under the guidance of Jorge Sampaoli for his dedication and his efforts off the ball, so much so that he played every Ligue 1 game of the 2021-22 campaign. His game time dwindled with the arrival of Igor Tudor and OM considered selling him soon after that. New coach Marcelino also didn’t see a long-term future for him in the squad.

Marseille and Lazio have reportedly agreed to a season-long loan including a €13m mandatory option with a further €5m in performance-related bonuses attainable. Maurizio Sarri’s side were in the market for a midfielder following the €40m sale of Serbia international Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (28) to PIF-funded Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal. Guendouzi was committed to Marseille over a contract set to expire in 2025.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval