Guimaraes Joins North London Club
Bruno Guimaraes has completed his move to Arsenal from Newcastle United, becoming the latest summer signing. This transfer concludes a protracted saga, with Arsenal securing a player they had previously considered in January 2022. At that time, Mikel Arteta reportedly decided against the move, unconvinced by the fit for his squad. However, Newcastle then acquired Guimaraes, who became a key player for them.
The deal for Guimaraes involves a fee of £75 million, with no performance-related add-ons. Lyon, Guimaraes’ former club, and other previous clubs in Brazil will receive portions of this fee. Arsenal confirmed that Guimaraes signed a four-year deal, which includes an option for an additional 12 months.
Midfield Reinforcement and Past Connections
Arsenal prioritized strengthening their central midfield during this transfer window. They had anticipated the departure of Christian Norgaard, who has since joined Everton. The club sought an established player capable of immediately enhancing the team. While Arsenal showed interest in Guimaraes’ former Newcastle teammate Sandro Tonali, the cost of a potential package was a deterrent. Tonali ultimately moved to Tottenham Hotspur in an early July deal.
With Tonali out of reach, Guimaraes emerged as the primary target to bolster the midfield. Despite his earlier reservations in 2022, Arteta’s appreciation for Guimaraes’ performances with Newcastle and Brazil grew over the subsequent seasons. Arteta and Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta reportedly view Guimaraes as a complete midfielder, whose versatility as a number six or number eight can unlock various midfield combinations and enhance Arsenal’s attacking play with his passing ability.
Guimaraes is the 16th Brazilian to sign for Arsenal and the first Brazilian central midfielder since Denilson in 2011. He has faced Arsenal multiple times since joining Newcastle in January 2022, making him the 38th Premier League player to play against Arsenal before joining the club. Since Mikel Arteta’s arrival, he has signed 19 Premier League players who previously played against Arsenal.
A Look at Guimaraes’ Career and Personal Details
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Guimaraes holds Spanish citizenship through his grandfather, who relocated to Brazil from Spain. He is known for wearing the number 39, a number that holds personal significance as it was his father’s taxi number in Brazil. This number was also assigned to him during his loan spell at Athletico Paranaense, which he regarded as more than a coincidence.
Guimaraes helped Brazil qualify for the Olympics in 2020, which was postponed by a year. He was selected for the Olympic Games and played the full 90 minutes in the final against Spain in Tokyo, where Brazil secured a 2-1 victory in extra-time. Before his move to Europe, Guimaraes had a successful period at Athletico Paranaense, where he won the Copa Sudamericana for the first time in the club’s history and scored the winning goal in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil final, which Athletico Paranaense ultimately won.
His career in Europe began in January 2020 with Ligue 1 side Lyon. He made three appearances in Ligue 1 before the pandemic. Upon football’s return, he contributed to Lyon’s run to the Champions League semi-finals, including a 3-1 victory over Manchester City. Guimaraes also has a hobby of fishing, and has been seen fishing with world champion spearfisher Raphael Ambrosio.
Guimaraes’ departure from Newcastle was not a desired sale for the club, who initially had no intention of parting with him. However, Arsenal’s persistence and Guimaraes’ desire to join the club ultimately led to the transfer. Newcastle’s then head coach, Eddie Howe, reportedly understood Guimaraes’ wish to join Arsenal, acknowledging that Newcastle could not financially compete with larger European clubs. Guimaraes was reportedly emotional when saying farewell to Newcastle players and staff.
Source: arsenal.com
