However, the Spaniard indicated that if the Frenchman follows the path of granite Xhaka, he will be welcomed with open arms.
Mikel Arteta has warned Matteo Guendouzi that his actions will have to change if he wants to work his way back into the arsenal.
The international midfielder for the French U21 national team met his compatriot Neal Maupay after a defeat against Brighton, with the manager making it clear that he was not satisfied with the young man’s attitude.
Guendouzi, who joined Arsenal from Ligue 2 side Lorient last summer, was subsequently removed from the squad of the Southampton-winning side and was once again conspicuously absent when the Gunners continued their European advance against Norwich on Wednesday with a comprehensive 4-0 home win.
In an interview after the game, Arteta gave a brief account of the current situation as he once again warned his charges of his behaviour.
“It’s the same reasons as last week,” he said when asked about the player’s absence. “Things have to change, and nothing has changed.”
Granite Xhaka, on the other hand, regained his place in the squad after his career at Emirates Stadium seemed doomed when he threw his jersey to the ground and you could see him complaining about the support he received when he was replaced under former coach Unai Emery.
He agreed to move to Hertha Berlin, but remained with the club after 11 hours.
Under Arteta, he discovered a new life and scored the second goal against the Canary Islands after he had been fielded by Aubameyang.
And the Spaniard realised that the circle of the Swiss national player had come full circle.
“He’s a player whose dedication goes beyond anything normal. Every day he leaves every drop of blood on this football field, and he does the same in training,” he said.
“For me he is a great example to every other team-mate, the way he looks after himself and lives his job. I’m really happy that we were able to convince him to stay, give him another chance to learn from his mistakes and also to appreciate and support the player and the person we have at the club.
“When someone has a difficult moment, we’re right behind them. We can give them another chance.”
Arteta therefore seems prepared to leave the door open for 21-year-old Guendouzi, who played 34 games in his first high-profile campaign, including 24 in the Premier League.
