Arsenal preparing official bid to sign £60m star

At the end of the 2024/25 season, Mikel Arteta and Arsenal swallowed their pride and accepted a third successive silver medal in the Premier League.

Lesser teams would have crumbled then, unable to overcome the insurmountable obstacle between them and the title, but Arteta is a tenacious coach, and he is now a champion too.

Arsenal were the best team in the country last season, always a step ahead of Manchester City throughout a gripping title race.

However, losing on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final has fuelled the Londoners ahead of the new campaign, recognising the potential for greatness.

Much has been made of Arsenal’s need for new forwards, but Declan Rice needs more support in the middle of the park, and Emirates director Andrea Berta is working toward a marquee midfield signing.

Arsenal preparing bid for Premier League superstar

Last summer, when Arsenal signed Martin Zubimendi for £60m, they felt they had completed the central puzzle, landing a midfield maestro to complement Rice’s all-action ability.

After all, Zubimendi had been pursued by Liverpool the summer before, rejecting the Reds in favour of another season with Real Sociedad.

But something has been missed from Arsenal’s midfield system, and with Rice currently playing through pain with the Three Lions at the World Cup, Arteta and Berta need to add a dimension to their engine room.

Well, aim for the stars, right? The BBC have relayed reports claiming that Arsenal are preparing an official £60m bid for Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes, having this week seen an initial – and informal – £55m proposal swatted away by the Tyneside outfit.

Guimaraes, 28, is one of the best midfielders in the world, and Newcastle are fighting hard to keep him on their books. With Sandro Tonali signing for Tottenham in a £100m deal, the Gunners’ efforts have been complicated, but it’s certainly not an impossible deal to pull off.

Crucially, Arsenal have confidence that a deal can be struck this summer. Guimaraes is no spring chicken, but he has several more world-class years in front of him, and Newcastle will recognise the financial value they could bank here.

It’s up to Arteta and Berta to get it done.

Why Bruno Guimaraes can be Arsenal’s star midfielder

Guimaraes is very good at football. Hailed for his “world-class” performances for Brazil at the World Cup by analyst Raj Chohan, he has outperformed Rice this summer, currently operating at a level which could take Arsenal one step further in their quest for greatness.

A natural-born leader and a skilled technician, Guimaraes has been the linchpin of Eddie Howe’s Toon project, always dragging his teammates forward. Just imagine how he would fare in a well-oiled Arsenal midfield, combining with the likes of Rice and Martin Odegaard.

The midfielders’ respective international campaigns perhaps delineate clearly how Arsenal would improve with Guimaraes added to the fold. As the Selecao star gets older, he is less fussed about sprinting up and down the pitch, instead doubling down on his first-class technical quality, while leaning further into a combative side that has shaped him into one of the best all-action midfielders about.

His escapades over the pond shouldn’t be considered in isolation, though. Guimaraes starred even as the Magpies fell from their perch in the Premier League last term, scoring nine goals and supplying five assists, but also winning 2.1 tackles and 5.8 duels on average each game.

Rice is a bit more focused in his playmaking, but the Brazilian’s ability to encompass every facet of the midfield game makes him a special kind of player, one the Gunners need to get their hands on this summer.

How to remain at the top? Arsenal need to spend well this summer, and by signing Guimaraes, they would certainly secure a signature capable of reinforcing their title defence while nudging them toward contention for other prizes scattered across the campaign.

Rice has been brilliant over the past several years, but he’s less active from a defensive standpoint and lacks the edge in attack that Guimaraes brings to the table. Adding an offensive dimension could certainly bear dividends for this side.

Arsenal have the best and most complete team in the country, but Guimaraes’ skill and resilience and style would help guide them up to a higher level, ensuring that last year’s title success has merely served as an appetiser at the beginning of a dynasty.