Former Arsenal wonderkid tipped for surprise Premier League return under old boss

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Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris has addressed speculation linking him with a reunion with former player Matteo Guendouzi in the Premier League . The pair previously worked together at French side Lorient, and a switch to the Stadium of Light would reunite him with Granit Xhaka after the duo spent four years as teammates at Arsenal .

Guendouzi, 26, featured 82 times for the Gunners before his departure in summer 2022 to join Marseille following a successful loan stint the previous season. He replicated that route at Lazio with a temporary move followed by a permanent transfer to Italy 18 months ago.

Having departed his homeland twice previously, a return to England remains a possibility, though Le Bris was swift to play down any speculation. He did appear to hint that a move cannot be completely dismissed, however, when questioned about Guendouzi.

The Sunderland boss said: "It's too early to speak about the next transfer window. We still have connections with players, and Matteo is one of these players because I worked with him in Lorient. We stay connected, but at the moment, nothing, it's too early.

"We have really good midfielders. We'll see," he added when pressed on whether Guendouzi could even break into the team given their current form.

Guendouzi previously spoke candidly about a difficult relationship with Mikel Arteta after leaving Arsenal three years ago. "It's true that I didn't have the best relationship with him," he said to BeIN Sports back in 2022.

"Beyond that, I always tried to work, always gave the maximum of myself in training and in matches. I still play a few matches with him, I still did great performances."

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A potential move to Sunderland could see Guendouzi team up with another ex-Arsenal player in Xhaka. The Switzerland international also had his fair share of ups and downs during his time at the Gunners, but he left on a positive note, earning the respect of fans for his efforts during a difficult period.

Xhaka's recent return was warmly welcomed by the Arsenal faithful. "I had seven fantastic years there [at Arsenal]," he said to Sky Sports before Sunderland went up against the Gunners earlier this month. Even today the contact is there with the coaches, with the players, members of the club. I'm just thankful for everything."

As for whether Guendouzi could echo these sentiments about his time at Arsenal remains to be seen, as does the reception he would receive from the supporters. However, there's a whole transfer saga yet to unfold before we get to that point.

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