Arsenal have been pursuing a new midfielder this summer, with Martin Zubimendi being replaced by Myles Lewis-Skelly in the starting XI towards the end of last season.
Gary Neville was particularly critical of Zubimendi during the business of the campaign, saying: “I thought at the start of the season that Zubimendi was a great signing. He’s been a good player for Arsenal, but right now I was expecting that this would be where Zubimendi would be the player.
“You think of what (Andrea) Pirlo is, or (Paul) Scholes or Rodri, Bernardo Silva – the player who can dictate play in a game like this, get Arsenal on the ball, organise and get them with authority and he’s not demonstrating that. He’s struggling in the games and he has done for a few weeks now.”
Since then, Bruno Guimaraes has emerged as a target for the Gunners, and the Newcastle United star is keen to move to the Emirates Stadium, alongside Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.
Luke Edwards drops Bruno Guimaraes to Arsenal update
Newcastle reporter Luke Edwards has now taken to X to drop an update on Arsenal’s pursuit of Guimaraes, stating they are set to make another move.
“My thoughts on Bruno and Arsenal are as follows. Arsenal like him, Bruno likes them. But there is a big difference between liking a player at £50m and wanting that same player at almost double the price.
“I’m sure Arsenal will test the water some more. As we saw with Isak last summer there is no such thing as not for sale.”
Having raised £100m from selling Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur, the Magpies are keen to receive a similar fee for their other star midfielder.
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Football FanCast’s Verdict |
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Credibility |
Arsenal are keen to strengthen their midfield, but as pointed out by Edwards, having to shell out £100m could be off-putting, especially considering Guimaraes is set to turn 29 in November. |
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Finances |
A fee of £100m would make the Brazilian the Gunners’ second-most expensive signing in history, behind potential midfield partner Declan Rice. However, the north Londoners are in a strong financial position, as revealed by David Ornstein. |
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Insight |
The 28-year-old is now an experienced Premier League player, picking up 30 goals and 26 assists in 153 top flight matches for Newcastle. He is also a seasoned international, starting all five of Brazil’s World Cup matches. |
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Impact |
Should Arsenal get a deal done, Lewis-Skelly may be reverted back to left-back. Mikel Arteta would also have greater strength in depth in midfield, which may be required, considering Rice will be heading into the campaign off the back of a deep run at the World Cup with England. |
Eddie Howe likely to be reluctant to lose “unbelievable” Guimaraes
Having already lost Tonali this summer, Eddie Howe is likely to be concerned about the Gunners’ interest in Guimaraes, especially considering he has singled the central midfielder out for some very high praise.
The Newcastle boss said: “I think he is world class. And I don’t say that lightly. He has unbelievable qualities & an unbelievable attitude to life and football. He wears his heart on his sleeve – you’re not guessing how he’s feeling! The supporters really identify with his passion for football and Newcastle.”
The Brazil star created 45 chances in the Premier League last season, which was 13 more than nearest-rival Tonali, and an average of 2.3 tackles per 90 ranked him second in the squad.
As such, Guimaraes could be a real difference-maker at Arsenal, but they should definitely be cautious about not being held to ransom by Newcastle, given his age.
