Matteo Guendouzi admits former Arsenal striker Jeremie Aliadiere convinced him about joining the Gunners.

The midfielder left Lorient for Arsenal this summer.

“It's true there were a lot of clubs interested in me — I had talks with some of the biggest clubs in Europe," he said. “But as soon as I heard from Arsenal, the decision was very simple and I'm very happy to be here.

“I did speak to Jeremie about Arsenal and he said it's a place where I can progress and learn a great deal from the staff here. He always spoke very positively and that made me feel very confident in the choice that I'd made.

“It's the club of my heart. There have been a lot of French players here and Thierry Henry is a symbol in France after his long career here. I used to watch Arsenal games with my father and it has a special place in my heart."