Of all the qualities that made Bruno Guimarães a favourite among Newcastle supporters, one stood out above the rest. The midfielder described it himself after completing his £75m transfer to Arsenal. “It is difficult to choose,” the Brazilian said when asked what fans in north London should expect. “I can move the ball well, cover plenty of ground and compete like a fighter. I never stop trying.”
Guimarães spent more than four years on Tyneside and watched Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali leave before Eddie Howe’s exit. The midfielder, who was deeply upset after failing to convert a penalty for the Seleção during their World Cup last-16 loss to Norway, was eager to take advantage of this opportunity.
In an emotional farewell message published by Newcastle when the transfer was confirmed on Saturday, he said the club had made every possible effort to retain him. However, at 28, Guimarães appeared to believe that such a chance might not present itself again.
Andrea Berta was unable to secure Vinícius Júnior this week after the Brazilian attacker agreed to an improved six-year contract with Real Madrid. Arsenal’s sporting director did, however, complete the signing of a player the club had pursued near the beginning of Mikel Arteta’s tenure, strengthening an already impressive collection of central midfielders.
Berta’s predecessor, Edu Gaspar, reportedly made an initial approach for Guimarães while he was playing for Athletico Paranaense in Brazil. The midfielder subsequently moved to Lyon during the January 2020 transfer window, only a few weeks after Arteta took charge at the Emirates.
Arsenal renewed their interest in January 2022, but Newcastle secured his services for €40m. That decision later proved costly for the London club when Guimarães scored in a 2-0 victory that significantly contributed to Arsenal missing Champions League qualification that season.
That goal, scored in the first of his nine meetings with Arsenal, remains his only one against them. Even so, Guimarães consistently performed well in several different roles, including during Newcastle’s 4-0 aggregate victory in the 2025 Carabao Cup semi-final. Since his Premier League debut, he has covered more ground, won more individual contests and conceded more fouls against Arsenal than against any other opponent.
Declan Rice was understandably among the first Arsenal players to greet him. Rice, the only Premier League player to have travelled a greater distance than Guimarães during that period and a frequent opponent in physical midfield contests, jokingly asked his new teammate to leave their disagreements behind now that they were friends.
Guimarães has good reason to describe Arsenal’s midfield as one of Europe’s finest, particularly after its performances last season. Rice, however, needs careful management in the months ahead. He reached the Champions League final, then spent the summer representing England, having dealt with nerve-related pain in his hamstring and lower back since December. Guimarães can deputise in a box-to-box position and allow Arteta to rotate his midfield choices more regularly.
Arteta appeared reluctant to use Christian Nørgaard, who has since moved to Everton, as Martín Zubimendi’s replacement in Premier League matches last season. As a result, the Spanish midfielder seemed to lose energy during the closing stages of the campaign.
That situation was highlighted when teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly played in his preferred holding-midfield role during the title run-in and against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest, despite starting the season at left-back. Guimarães demonstrated at Newcastle that he can also operate in a deeper position, leaving Arteta with the task of finding the right balance among his numerous midfield options.
Although Martin Ødegaard could not equal Mikel Merino’s scoring contribution for Spain, the Norwegian produced signs of returning to peak form during the World Cup after another frustrating, injury-disrupted season with Arsenal.
After failing to sign Morgan Rogers, Arsenal will rely on their Norway captain, Guimarães and last summer’s major arrival, Eberechi Eze, to bring greater imagination to an attack that occasionally found it difficult to overcome compact defensive systems last season.
Arsenal continue to seek a defender capable of covering William Saliba’s prolonged absence, while another attacker could arrive following the signing of Christos Tzolis. Atlético Madrid’s Julián Alvarez and Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola are potential candidates, although a major deal may depend on the departures of Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus, with Napoli interested in the latter. Regardless of those decisions, Brazilian centre-back Gabriel should help Guimarães adjust to his new surroundings.
Speaking to Arsenal’s official website, Guimarães said Gabriel had repeatedly contacted him to ask when he would arrive. He added that he was delighted to join an excellent squad, eager to meet his new teammates and begin training, and determined to contribute as much as possible.
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