Matteo Guendouzi says Arsenal can defy expectations by winning the Premier League this season.

The Gunners finished 37 points behind champions Manchester City last term and were reminded of the ground they have to make up with a 2-0 opening day defeat by Pep Guardiola’s side.

New boss Unai Emery has been cautious about publicly defining Arsenal’s aspirations this season, merely seeking to improve on their sixth-place finish. However, Guendouzi, who made his debut on Sunday following a £7million summer move from Lorient, insists his team-mates should be aiming as high as possible.

“Yes, I believe we can win it this season because of the players and staff we have,” said the 19-year-old Frenchman. “We truly believe and will do everything we can to win as many games as we can and to have a fantastic season. I truly believe we can do it.

“Man City are a top team but there are a lot of top teams in this division because the Premier League is the best league in Europe. There are plenty of others but we can be very positive and achieve good things this season. We can win titles because of the environment we have here and the quality of the players at our disposal.”

Guendouzi turned down approaches from a host of top clubs — thought to include Paris St-Germain and Borussia Dortmund — to join the Gunners and he revealed that former Arsenal striker Jeremie Aliadiere played a role in convincing him to move to London.

“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.

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“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.”