Arsenal outcast Guendouzi set for Hertha Berlin loan move

Matteo Guendouzi is closing in on a loan move to Hertha Berlin, Goal can confirm.

Arsenal have spent the summer trying to get the midfielder out following the breakdown in his relationship with manager Mikel Arteta.

There have been tentative enquires from several clubs, including Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain, but talks haven’t progressed.

Discussions with Hertha Berlin are now at an advanced stage, however, and he is expected to finalise his move to the Bundesliga before Monday’s 11pm transfer deadline.

Goal has been told the deal will not include an option to turn the move permanent next summer.

Guendouzi has not featured for Arsenal since his clash with Brighton striker Neal Maupay following the 2-1 defeat at the Amex Stadium in June.

The 21-year-old escaped punishment from the Football Association following the clash, which saw him grab the Brighton striker by the neck moments after the full-time whistle, but he did not escape the wrath of Arteta.

He was summoned to an internal disciplinary meeting in the days that followed and refused to apologise for his actions, angering Arteta further, and subsequently spent the remainder of the campaign training on his own and away from the senior squad.

Guendouzi has now been reintegrated back into training, but has yet to be included in a single match-day squad this season.

Speaking about the midfielder last month, Arteta said: “Matteo has been training like any other player in the squad,.

“It is a new season and we had some really positive conversations between both parties, now he’s back with the group, he is training really well.”

Guendouzi could be one of a number of exits at Arsenal before Monday evening’s transfer deadline.

Lucas Torreira is expected to complete a loan move to Atletico Madrid, while Sead Kolasinac - who was left out of the squad for Sunday’s 2-1 win against Sheffield United - is in talks with Bayer Leverkusen.

Unlike Guendouzi and Torreira, Kolasinac is set to complete a permanent move away from north London, with Arsenal pushing for a fee of around £9 million ($12m) for the Bosnia international - who joined from Schalke on a free transfer in 2017.