Created Date: January 08, 2026 07:00
Fenerbahçe reached an agreement with French football player Matteo Guendouzi, who plays for Lazio, for 4.5+1 years. The French football player will be the most expensive transfer in history for the yellow-dark blue team, who convinced the Italian club to pay 28+2 million Euros.
After Anthony Musaba, Fenerbahçe also reached an agreement with Matteo Guendouzi, who plays for Lazio. While the yellow-dark blue team shook hands with the 26-year-old French football player for a 4.5+1 year contract, an agreement was reached with his club for 28 million Euros and a 2 million Euro bonus. With the transfer becoming official, Guendouzi will become the most expensive transfer in Fenerbahçe history, surpassing Kerem Aktürkoğlu, who was bought for 22.5 million Euros. So who is Guendouzi? Here is the answer..
THE ONLY OPTION FOR HIM IS TO WIN
Matteo Guendouzi is a name that hates losing. He constantly emphasizes this side in all the interviews he has given so far. “He has a volcanic personality,” says everyone who works with him. His impatient nature and sudden decisions always took him to different points in his career. While everyone was waiting for him to reach a good place in Paris Saint Germain, where he was trained in the infrastructure, he made a surprising decision and went to Lorient at the age of 15. A year later, he faced his former team PSG in the final of the French U17 Championship. He carried Lorient to the championship with excellent football. The following season, he was awarded with the A team.
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CHARACTER COMPLEX GAME SIMPLE
Actually, there is a lot to be said for Guendouzi. Although he had a confusingly complex character, his collective aptitude and desire to play simply made him an indispensable player wherever he went. French National Team Coach Didier Deschamps, who cannot tolerate problematic personalities, always approached Guendouzi in a different way, even though he showed the door to many star football players. He improved a lot physically with Unai Emery. When he first came to Arsenal, it was considered impossible for him to play in any Premier League team, let alone in the starting eleven. However, with Emery’s belief, he worked hard and made great physical progress in less than a year. He had a career season with Jorge Sampaoli again in Marseille.
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PAULETA, HIS IDOL ZiDANE HERO
And this is how Guendouzi describes himself: “My parents taught me to be respectful to everyone, to be kind, to learn from people and to aim high. That’s why, when I played football with my brothers in our backyard in Poissy, I would act like my idol Zinedine Zidane. When I was in the Paris Saint-Germain academy teams, I wanted to be a striker like my hero Pedro Miguel Pauleta. And that’s why, when I left Paris Saint-Germain at the age of 15, I wasn’t worried because I had a plan and I was going to stick to it.”
BASIC FEATURES OF GUENDOUZI;
FOOTBALL IS RISING TO THE HIGHER LEVEL WITH CONFIDENCE
When we look at Guendouzi’s career journey, we can easily see the following;
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1-) KHe likes to work with technicians who believe and trust him.
2-) He has the profile of a player who does not shy away from work and struggle. However, he takes his football to a higher level with this type of coaches. “I was lucky to work with Emery, he was a great manager. He gave me the confidence to play, so I was very lucky to work with him. I spent 6 months with Sarri but it felt like 1-2 years because I was learning a lot with him every day in training.” He says this about the coaches he is happy to work with in his interviews. F.Bahçe will have a coach who will meet exactly these expectations.
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ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE PASS THAT WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
Guendouzi is a player well ahead of his peers in terms of carrying the ball and quickly deciding who is the best passing option. His ability to read and predict the game is extremely superior.
The sticking point regarding Guendouzi’s style of play is his defensive aspect, which is often below average. Statistically, he is much more active on the offensive side of the game rather than the defensive side.
However, we would be unfair if we said there was no defensive aspect. Because he actively participates in the high pressure game, applying marking to force his opponents to make mistakes. He is always looking for the impossible pass, the pass that will make the difference. He tries to further improve this aspect by doing extra training by constantly using both feet after each training session.
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F.BAHÇE FOR THE WORLD CUP TARGET
Guendouizi is a player who is obsessed with football, so to speak, and likes to push his own limits. Fenerbahçe is now the best place where he can show himself and go to the World Cup, which he dreams of, with the French National Team again. Domenico Tedesco, who is a good coach as well as a good communicator, is the key person who will provide this environment to Guendouzi.
WHAT DID HIS FORMER COACHES SAY ABOUT GUENDOUZI?
HE IS A LOCK FOOTBALL PLAYER
Unai Emery (Arsenal): “Matteo is a player with exactly the spirit and competitiveness that I want. I want to see this spirit he shows on the field in every match. He is a key player for us.”
NO LIMITS, NATURAL LEADER
Jorge Sampaoli (Marseille): “Matteo has no limits, he will continue to grow. He is a natural leader. His energy is contagious and anyone can envy.”
A REAL WINNER
Igor Tudor (Lazio): “Matteo is a real winner. He has an extraordinary mentality and character. He always gives everything on the field and never gives up.”
A FOCUSED NAME
Maurizio Sarri (Lazio): “He is a great player who plays at a very intense tempo. He has high defensive quality and is extremely effective in attack. He is a very quick learner and focused person.”
HIS PRESENCE GIVES CONFIDENCE
Didier Deschamps (French National Team): “He performs at the highest level in the club he plays for. He is a player who does not shy away from responsibility and has a lot of self-confidence. His presence adds energy and confidence to the team.”
A COMPLETE PROFESSIONAL
Bruno Labbadia (H.Berlin): “You clearly see the quality we need in him: ball security. He never simply loses the ball. He relaxes the game with simple and clean passes of 4-5 meters. He is a complete professional who gives everything on the field.”
2025-26 PERFORMANCE
Guendouzi, who played in 349 official matches in his first team career, scored 19 goals and made 38 assists, and directly contributed to 57 goals.
