Bruno Guimaraes: The Missing Piece to Make Arsenal Perfect

Arsenal is determined to sign Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes for a fee of around £75 million, and according to a Daily Mail analysis, this could be the final piece that helps manager Mikel Arteta upgrade his squad to defend the Premier League title as well as conquer the Champions League.

Not only does he boast more impressive statistics than Declan Rice in several aspects, but Guimaraes is also regarded as a rare all-round midfielder capable of changing Arsenal's operational dynamics.

This is not the first time Arsenal has wanted Bruno Guimaraes. In 2022, while still playing for Lyon, the Brazilian midfielder was on the "Gunners" radar. However, he chose to move to Newcastle instead of the Emirates.

In fact, in the video announcing his signing with Newcastle at the time, Guimaraes even began by showing newspaper headlines about Arsenal's interest, before confirming his choice of the northeast England club.

Four years later, Arsenal has returned to the negotiating table once again. This time, according to Daily Mail sources, Guimaraes himself informed Newcastle that he wants to move to Arsenal. The two clubs are now only negotiating the transfer fee, expected to be around £75 million.

This is a fairly large sum for a player about to turn 29, an age significantly higher than Arteta's usual recruitment criteria. Nevertheless, Arsenal believes Guimaraes is the type of player who can have an immediate impact.

One of the biggest reasons Arsenal is determined to sign Guimaraes is to ease the burden on Declan Rice. Last season, Rice played up to 69 matches for Arsenal and the England national team. The midfielder had to play through a hamstring injury that persisted from Christmas and also suffered nerve damage in his lower back during the 2026 World Cup.

After England's defeat to Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals, Rice admitted: "My body has taken a lot this season. People could see I was exhausted both mentally and physically. I really need a rest." The arrival of Guimaraes will give Arteta more rotation options, preventing Rice from being overworked as in recent seasons.

Not Just a Second Declan Rice

According to the Daily Mail analysis, Guimaraes is not merely a backup option for Rice but a more complete midfielder in many aspects.

Since joining Newcastle in early 2022, the Brazilian midfielder has consistently been among the best in the Premier League in both defensive capability and creativity.

Defensively, the Brazil international has made 356 tackles, trailing only Joao Palhinha (410), Moises Caicedo (408), and Joao Gomes (380), while edging ahead of Alexis Mac Allister (353). Not only strong in interception, Guimaraes also excels in creativity. He has created 197 chances from open play, a tally second only to Bruno Fernandes (359) and Martin Odegaard (276), and level with Morgan Gibbs-White and Bernardo Silva.

These statistics show that Guimaraes is a rare midfielder who can have a major impact at both ends of the pitch, effectively recovering the ball while directly participating in playmaking. Additionally, only Declan Rice and Bruno Fernandes have covered more total distance than Guimaraes since his arrival in the Premier League.

This indicates that Guimaraes possesses both abundant stamina and strong tackling ability as well as creative attacking skills.

A weakness of Arsenal in recent seasons has been over-reliance on the right flank. Bukayo Saka remains the main source of creativity, while Martin Odegaard also frequently drifts to that area to organize play. Meanwhile, Arsenal lacks through balls from the center to break down low defensive blocks.

This is precisely where Guimaraes excels. Last season, the Brazilian midfielder scored 9 goals, equal to the combined total of Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi, and also provided 5 assists, matching Rice's tally.

Unlike Rice—who often creates chances from the left flank or near the penalty area—Guimaraes can deliver decisive passes from his own half or the midfield zone.

His ability to launch attacks from deep helps Arsenal transition the ball faster instead of slow circulation, preventing opponents from retreating into defense in time.

In a match against Arsenal last season, Guimaraes once played a through ball that completely bypassed the opposition defense, allowing Jacob Murphy to run through on goal.

According to statistics, Guimaraes averages more key passes and passes that break defensive lines per game than both Rice and Zubimendi.

Creating Differences on His Own

Not only is he good at passing, Guimaraes is also dangerous when dribbling. Last season, he created 13 chances after dribbles, more than the combined total of Rice (8) and Zubimendi (3).

Additionally, the Brazilian midfielder possesses quality free-kick and corner-kick abilities, with several assists from set pieces—one of Arsenal's most lethal weapons under Arteta.

According to the Daily Mail, what Arteta particularly likes about Guimaraes is his versatility. He can play as a box-to-box midfielder, a deep-lying playmaker, or a sweeper in front of the defense.

If Guimaraes joins Arsenal, Arteta can flexibly use him in the position of Declan Rice or Martin Zubimendi. Rice can drop deep to intercept while Guimaraes pushes forward to support the attack, or vice versa.

His defensive ability, ball distribution, through passes, dribbling, and chance creation make Guimaraes regarded as a "do-it-all" midfielder.

That is also why Arsenal is willing to spend up to £75 million on a player approaching 29 years old, hoping he will become the missing piece to take Mikel Arteta's team to the next level in their quest to maintain their status at the top of English and European football.