Arsenal open talks in “last 24 hrs” to sign Anderson clone

Last time Arsenal rivalled Manchester City for an elite Premier League midfielder, they secured a seismic victory, emerging with Declan Rice.

Now, the 2026 summer transfer window has seen the Citizens steer clear in the race for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, who is primed to jump ship for a record-breaking fee.

The key point of difference here is that Arsenal never fronted their long-standing curiosity with something substantial – but that certainly doesn’t mean that Mikel Arteta is not eager to strengthen in the middle of the park.

The noise is centring on Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali, but he’s not the only one on Arteta’s radar.

Arsenal in bid to sign Premier League midfielder

How to improve a team of champions? Arsenal might have finally ended their title hoodoo by pipping Manchester City to the Premier League trophy in 2024/25, but there are things to work on at the Emirates.

The frontline needs work, but the likes of Rice could also do with an elite midfield addition to further reinforce this well-oiled and efficient Gunners midfield. The £100m-rated Tonali is being targeted.

While Spurs appear to be edging closer to the Italian maestro, who wants to leave St. James’ Park and has been the centre of two rejected bids, Arsenal are certainly still in the mix, with it suggested that Tonali would pick them in heartbeat, were they to firm up their intrigue.

However, the 26-year-old isn’t the only high-profile midfielder on Arsenal technical director Andrea Berta’s shortlist. In fact, he isn’t the only high-profile Newcastle midfielder in Arsenal’s sights.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have made a formal approach “in the last 24 hours” for Newcastle skipper Bruno Guimaraes, with the plan to sign the Brazil superstar for £55m.

The Magpies have knocked that one back, adamant that the 28-year-old would fall closer toward the same nine-digit ballpark as Tonali. In no uncertain terms, they have informed Arsenal that the current terms presented do not warrant conversation.

While Newcastle have informed relative representatives that they will not entertain offers for the experienced midfield maestro, the Gunners have the financial power to keep advancing, and the sporting project to win Guimaraes over.

Why Guimaraes can be Newcastle’s Anderson signing

Guimaraes has been the ultimate linchpin for Eddie Howe’s Newcastle since joining from Lyon in January 2022, at the start of the project.

There is no question that he is “one of the best midfielders in the world“, as has been noted by Gabriel Martinelli, his Selecao teammate.

Guimaraes is not the youngest, but as Arsenal have considered a move for Anderson, it’s understandable that Arteta has now whirled toward Newcastle’s leading man, taken by his wicked blend of intensity and energy, combined with a technical ability that lends itself to stacks of goals and assists.

Anderson is a bit more ferocious in winning back possession, but Guimaraes takes the cake in the danger area, and while the two midfielders are quite similar, Guimaraes would add that attacking dimension that has been missing at Arsenal.

Just imagine, after all, if Arteta’s team were to kick on and establish an even more dynamic offensive system. With Guimaraes added to the fold, it may just come to pass, with analyst Raj Chohan recently marvelling over his “world-class” performances for Brazil at the World Cup.

As far as all-round midfielders go, there aren’t many who would rival Guimaraes in the Premier League. The 23-year-old Anderson is one of them, and while he will be expected to go on to achieve great things under Enzo Maresca at Man City, Guimaraes could provide the spark that will keep Arsenal at the summit of English football over the coming years.

Anderson and Guimaraes are similar midfielders, both expert duellers, combative and crunching in their defensive work. However, they both share a love for the creative side of the game too, and it’s clear to see that Arteta is pursuing a particular midfield profile this summer as he aims to lift his Arsenal team to the next level.

Anderson will have much more mileage in the tank than Guimaraes, but Arsenal could still draw about four years of brilliance from the Brazilian, whose skill as an engine in the middle of the park would complement Rice’s style perfectly.

Arsenal may not want to engage in £100m discussions, but Guimaraes is very much on the list, and it’s one to keep a close eye on over the coming weeks.