Former Arsenal Head of Recruitment Sven Mislintat says he is surprised that manager Mikel Arteta decided to loan out both Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi at the start of the season.

The two midfielders were signed following the recommendation of Mislintat in the summer of 2018, and the German says he would like to know why Arteta opted against keeping them in his squad:

“I respect Mikel a lot. I’d love to talk to him one day, to understand his reasons for sending Matteo as well as Lucas Torreira on loan, and tell him my view in relation to their qualities. But it’s his decision of course. My personal opinion remains that Matteo would still add some extra qualities to Arsenal’s midfield, like Lucas could. Their market values increased hugely after their debut season.”

It must be pointed out that neither Torreira nor Guendouzi have excelled since leaving the Emirates on loan.

Torreira has started just three La Liga games since moving to Atletico Madrid and reports suggest he may well end up leaving Arsenal on a permanent basis in the summer, with a return to Italy the likeliest outcome.

Guendouzi had a better start to life at Hertha Berlin, scoring two goals and providing one assist in his first nine appearances, but he has since been criticised by manager Pal Dardai for his naivety and lack of tactical discipline. The Frenchman has started just once since the end of January.