Arsenal have completed the signing of Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle United for £75m. The 28-year-old Brazil midfielder has agreed to a four-year contract, which includes an option for an additional 12 months. Guimarães described the move as one of the most challenging decisions of his professional life.
He expressed that while Newcastle holds significant meaning for him, he sought a new experience and felt prepared for a fresh challenge for himself and his family. Newcastle United conveyed their best wishes to Guimarães and his family following his departure.
Move to Emirates Stadium
Guimarães departed Newcastle’s training camp in La Manga, Spain, earlier this week to finalise his transfer to Emirates Stadium after discussions reached a breakthrough. He mentioned receiving messages from several future teammates, including fellow Brazilian Gabriel and midfielder Declan Rice.
Rice reportedly told Guimarães, following their previous encounters on the pitch, to join and end their on-field battles, stating, “come here and please no more fights, now we’re friends.” Guimarães indicated that he believes he is at a point in his life where he needs such a challenge, aiming to win trophies and make history with his new club.
Guimarães joined Newcastle in January 2022 when the team was facing relegation issues. He played a significant role in the team’s improved performance under former head coach Eddie Howe. He was part of the side that secured qualification for the Champions League in 2023, before the team finished in the Premier League last season.
Strategic Acquisition for Arsenal
The transfer of Guimarães to Arsenal marks the most expensive acquisition for a midfielder aged at least 28. This move is seen as a strategic acquisition for the present rather than a long-term investment, particularly given that he will be in his 30s before the end of next year.
One factor contributing to this decision is Guimarães’s consistent availability, as he rarely misses matches. Additionally, his versatility in playing across various midfield positions within Mikel Arteta’s preferred 4-3-3 formation is considered valuable. This versatility could be particularly beneficial given that Declan Rice has been managing long-term nerve pain in his hamstring and Martin Ødegaard played 40% of possible Premier League minutes last season.
The former Newcastle player is known for his ability to disrupt opposition attacks. Data from Opta shows that Arsenal misplaced 1,492 passes in the final third last season, which was the fourth-highest in the Premier League, creating potential counter-attack opportunities for opponents.
Guimarães is also noted for his willingness to concede a free-kick when necessary, having been penalised for 45 fouls in the league last season. Only Moisés Caicedo also reached that level in each of the previous four Premier League seasons. Since his debut for Newcastle in February 2022, he has committed the fourth-most fouls in the competition, yet nine players have received more yellow cards than him during that period.
Conversely, Guimarães excels at drawing fouls, having suffered 410 fouls in the Premier League, more than 100 more than any other player during his time in England. In other top European leagues, only Lazio winger Mattia Zaccagni, with 418, has won more free-kicks than Guimarães. He ranked no lower than second in the Premier League for fouls suffered in each of the previous four seasons, twice leading the standings for England, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
This ability to win free-kicks is a significant advantage for Arsenal, a team that frequently capitalises on set-piece situations. Since early 2022, only two players have scored more set-piece goals than Guimarães in the Premier League, and Arsenal already has one of them. His 12 goals are the joint-most by a midfielder or forward in this category. By joining Arsenal, he links up with his fellow Brazilian, Gabriel, who is one of the defenders above him in set-piece goals.
Guimarães is not the only notable departure for Newcastle this summer; Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon, who were also among Newcastle’s top four for free-kicks won last season, have also left. However, their combined foul total was less than Guimarães’s, and neither scored from a set piece. For Arsenal, Guimarães’s specific skill set is considered worth the £75m fee.
Source: bbc.co.uk