Arsenal have made the best summer signing - Ian Wright

Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright has made positive comments about Arsenal new signing Matteo Guendouzi despite the Gunners losing their opening game against last season Champions Manchester City.

Guendouzi joined Arsenal from Ligue 2 side Lorient in the summer for a fee of around £8m.

The 19-year-old was handed a surprise start which many fans did not expect him to be a regular in a team like Arsenal.

Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton asked Wright on BBC Radio 5 Live: “What was the best thing about Arsenal yesterday?”

Wright replied: “Guendouzi, the youngster.

“Just the fact that he showed a spirit and a fight and a drive that I’ve not seen from an Arsenal player for a long time.”

‘Later on Sunday afternoon another less obvious new boy impressed me in Arsenal’s young midfielder Guendouzi,’ Wright added.

 

‘Yes, he found it tough going at times against City but what impressed me was his attitude and effervescence.

‘It would have been easy to hide – let’s face it, others in the Arsenal side did – but he was still demanding the ball, still showing and still battling to the end.

‘Gunners fans left the Emirates desperately looking for positives after an opening loss and Guendouzi was the biggest one of all.’

Wright identified Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita and Arsenal new-boy Guendouzi as the two summer signings who stood out on the opening weekend of the Premier League.

Liverpool agreed a deal to sign Keita last summer but he spent the 2017-18 campaign at RB Leipzig before arriving at Anfield in July. The Guinea international became the first player to wear the No.8 shirt since Steven Gerrard and impressed on debut, helping Liverpool beat West Ham 4-0.

‘Jurgen Klopp was so desperate to sign Naby Keita for Liverpool that he slapped down the deposit 12 months ago and was prepared to wait a year before he had him in a red shirt,’ he told The Sun.

‘On Sunday you could see exactly why, because this guy was absolute dynamite. The positions he took up, his distribution, tackling and strength, everything was top drawer.