Matteo Guendouzi’s difficult choice: Premier League return or Lazio revival? | OneFootball

Matteo Guendouzi is confronted with a decision that is more significant than a shift in January. After almost five years since his last appearance in the Premier League, the Lazio midfielder is currently considering a move back to England at a time when his reputation in Italy has recently begun to improve. 

The interest is real. Sunderland have already tested the waters with an offer reported at around €25m, and other English clubs are watching closely. Odds on a Premier League return are currently around 4/1 according to some online sportsbooks, the best of which are vetted by eSportsinsider experts for their ease of use and high customer satisfaction. That same attention to fine detail now follows a midfielder like Guendouzi when recruitment staff try to judge whether he can carry a side in England’s top flight.

His journey to reach this point has not been straightforward. A fallout with Mikel Arteta at Arsenal in 2020 pushed him out on loan to Hertha Berlin and then to Marseille, before a permanent switch and, later, the move to Lazio. The 26-year-old has rebuilt his reputation as a reliable box-to-box presence, with more control to go with the edge that once spilled over too easily. He now combines high passing accuracy with steady defensive work across Serie A minutes.

For Sunderland, the attraction is clear. Championship clubs rarely get the chance to sign someone with Champions League experience and a World Cup runner-up medal. The project under new ownership relies on ambitious transfers, and Guendouzi's ability to dictate games in front of a full Stadium of Light has enough charm to justify stretching the budget. Reports suggest he is unconvinced by the step down in division and would rather join a club already in the hunt for European places.

That is where Newcastle enters the conversation. A move to Tyneside would keep Guendouzi in a familiar three-man midfield. Data shows Lazio has had regular minutes in both Serie A and Europe this season. For Newcastle, that profile fits the need for another midfielder who can handle long spells without the ball and still offer clean distribution when possession turns.

Lazio’s position adds another twist. The club is open to a sale at the right price, conscious of the Financial Fair Play lines and the chance to reinvest in a younger option. At the same time, coach Maurizio Sarri values Guendouzi’s discipline and experience in tight European matches. Selling in January would leave a gap that is not easy to plug midway through a season while Lazio still push for a top-four finish. 

So Guendouzi stands at a crossroads. Stay in Rome as a central piece of a side that trusts him, or jump back into English football with all the noise, scrutiny and opportunity that brings. For now, the only certainty is that his name will keep circling the rumour mill until either a bid lands that satisfies Lazio or the window closes with the Frenchman still in sky blue.