Arsenal have secured an agreement to add Bruno Guimaraes to their squad, with the Brazilian arriving as Christian Norgaard closes in on a move to Everton this summer.
The Denmark international struggled for regular playing time last season, and that is unlikely to be the role Guimaraes fulfils after Arsenal invested heavily to complete the transfer.
Guimaraes is regarded as one of the top players in England, which was not the profile of Norgaard when he joined the Gunners from Brentford just one season ago.
Guimaraes set to strengthen Arsenal
The Brazilian arrives following an outstanding spell at Newcastle United and an impressive World Cup campaign. Expectations are that he will move straight into the Arsenal starting line-up and immediately improve the squad with his quality.
Arsenal already possess a strong midfield, and Guimaraes joining the club creates fresh competition for places. That naturally raises questions over who should partner Declan Rice in midfield, Guimaraes or Martin Zubimendi.
The Spaniard was an ever-present for Arsenal last season but was unable to secure regular playing time for Spain at the World Cup, while Guimaraes impressed with several assists during the tournament.
Selection dilemma for Arsenal
Guimaraes has built a reputation as one of the Premier League’s finest midfielders, and his arrival is expected to increase competition within Arsenal’s squad as they prepare for the new campaign.
At the same time, Zubimendi’s performances for Arsenal last season make the decision far from straightforward, particularly after establishing himself as a reliable presence in midfield throughout the league campaign.
It appears highly likely that Guimaraes will be selected ahead of the Spaniard, but there remains a genuine debate over whether it would be fair to leave Zubimendi on the bench after the level of consistency he produced in the league last season. Arsenal now have greater depth in midfield, and the competition for places could help maintain high standards across the squad throughout the campaign.
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I’m not so excited about the signing other than the fact that the likes of Dowman, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly gets to learn from different senior players in order to develop to be compete players themselves. And I hope it doesn’t not disrupt the development of those same players at the same time. I hope he proves my doubts about him wrong, times will tell.
Another concern of mine is the fact that the major needs of the team has not been attended to, that being the left attacking midfielder/winger, and shipping out Jesus, Nelson and Kepa.
That’s very worrying it hasn’t been addressed yet! And watching those 3 tonight id cancel all their contracts and just let hamburg take Vieira for free. I have a feeling this season is gonna be another defensive slog.
We’ve got Tzolis and Martinelli for the left wing
Jesus and Nelson could also play LW if they don’t get shipped out
If Gooners say no to V Junior , Williams , Alvarez , etc and I see Reiss Nelson play for Arsenal in the Prem I will cry
Vini’s not leaving Madrid as per reports …. be ready to get your pillow really soaked, Dan!!
I been in the camp where it won’t happen
I would trigger Williams release clause
Think it’s happy medium
You don’t pay over the odds but he’s better then what we have on the left
I’d prefer Diomande Dan
Hopefully Real Madrid will cancel Diomande’s deal after extending Vinicius Jr’s contract
Yeah I heard that is all but done though
Reiss is so far down the pecking order now that if he isn’t sold to Fulham or whoever, he wouldn’t even get game time in the league this season.
Plus Eze in a pinch
Why does Arsenal want to sign Vinicius Jn if they are so happy with Tzolis
You don’t just “ship players out”. New clubs have to be found, clubs that actually want them. As a last result, we could terminate their contracts and pay them off.
last resort
Not excited about the signing? Are we looking at Zubi being a better player than Bruno?
Arteta does not have a selection dilemma but is in the fortunate position of having a strong group of central midfielders to use as appropriate throughout the season.My main concern surrounds the lack of a quality CB to fill the immense gap left by the injury to Saliba. .
I wonder why we did not move fast for John Stones who has Premiership experience.
Complete midfielder I meant*
Have similar doubts Kay. Whatever the outcome of this season my one positive is that the three homegrown products you mentioned are given ample opportunities to at least demonstrate what they may be capable of. Have no faith in Viera, or Zubamendi rising and shining.
What’s about rotation? We are in 4 competitions. 60 games a season. Injuries, injuries and injuries don’t forget. We had many injuries last season.
Yep, the article seems to have missed that point and says that we have a “selection dilemma”.🤣
Exactly. They’ll get plenty of playing time.
Rest Rice to october and get his back right. Start with Guimaraes and Lewis Skelly in the league and Zubimendi and Merino in the cups.
Then who every is playing the best partners Rice when he is rested and recoverd
Good suggestion
The midfield is the powerhouse of Arsenal.
Starting berth is set in stone. Rice, Odegaard (if he stays and remains healthy) and Guimaraes. In the WC when both face each other Odegaard was better than Guimaraes in the midfield battle
Subs: Merino Havertz Zubimendi Eze Skelly
Article kind of misses that the *whole point of buying Guimaraes* is that we don’t have to have the same midfield every single game, to the point Zubimendi or Rice play more minutes than the entire Tottenham or Chelsea squad again!
Guimaraes is obviously going to start games where we need more creativity and he will play left 8, switching with Rice and Merino, and Rice will switch with Zubimendi at 6. MLS also in the mix.
Bruno is significantly better technically than Rice or Zubi so I think it makes sense for Rice and Zubi to alternate the 6 role and for Bruno to be the 8 but who knows what Arteta will do.
Zubimendi will be a substitute who may get 10 or 15 minutes at the end of the game, if he is lucky. Rice, Guimarez, MLS and even Merino bring something more and wil start more. I wouldn’t be surprised if Zubimendi left this summer. His value will only drop the longer he stays. He doesn’t look up to the prem and the hustle and bustle.
Maybe, we can let Chelsea have one of our “rejects” instead of the other way round. There is a whisper going around Chelsea may pounce.
I like the idea of switching to an orthodox 10 or Support Striker.
Double Pivot at 6 rather than 6 and 2 8’s, and Kai, Eze can be transformed into world class superstars in freer role of 10 or support striker.
Sometimes players produce best form of their lives in freer role behind striker – everyone clamours to buy them even though it’s not them but the freer role at 10 what’s doing it.
“ everyone clamours to buy them even though it’s not them but the freer role at 10 what’s doing it.”
And thats our daft interest in the flat average Alvarez in a nutshell.
We need rotation in midfield with ~ 60 games to play. We need to be able to replicate what City did so well, finish the season strong not jaded. I am hoping Zubimendi goes to another level in his second season in the PL. Rice cannot be run into the ground if we want him to be at his very best. The situation is not a dilemma, it’s a winning formula.
Absolutely agree. If anything last season we out did Man City at their own thing with quality of our squad depth. Although I am sure Man City win title this coming season, their back up cast for rotation and covering key injuries isn’t what it was during their period of dominance, so they won’t walk away with it.
Also agree. So much of this is about depth and ability to finish the season as well as we start. Prior to last season we were wilting at the end largely through lack of depth. That was fixed last summer.
Most pundits were naming Arsenal as favourites before last season kicked off, because we finally had that squad depth on top of the experience of a run of high-scoring earlier seasons. Many of them seem to be saying the same thing this time around, given that it’s pretty much the same team, and now with the addition of Guimaraes arguably the strongest midfield in the league. We could still improve our attacking options as we are all well aware.
Man City will again be a contender, though looks like they might lose Rodri to Madrid, so that could be a significant impact and certainly makes them less experienced overall. And obvs Maresca is good, but it’s yet to be seen how it goes.
I think Chelsea will be also much better this season. Spurs will be much better too. United and Liverpool look to be scrapping it out for the fifth UCL place.
I think it’s Carragher who said Man City will focus on the Premiership title, Arsenal the European title – so it’s Man City’s title this season.
I agree that some other big clubs have recruited well. And If they get momentum and avoid injuries and put a good season together, we can be pushed into 3rd of 4th.
Why are we reluctant to ship out some players like Jesus, Nelson and ofcourse, Viera ? As for Zubby and Bruno, Rice is better paired with Bruno. Zubby will be a good back up.
Finally, I will want us to go for Williams to operate at the LW alongside Martinelli. While, Tzolis, Eze, Merino, Odegaard and Dowman slog it out in the midfield
I think moving players on is always the hardest part, as we have no control to make it happen?
Like Del Boy selling something down the market “next up, a one of its kind Jesus, with the top half all perfectly functioning” if people arn’t buying, people arn’t buying.
Outside tend to happen at the last minute don’t they? That Prem have inflated purchasing costs and wages compared to other leagues may be part of problem – whose going abroad for even more money than on now. 🤷♀️
I wonder why we did not move fast for John Stones who has Premiership experience.
Our slowness is interesting. We are on tenterhooks that there’s a plan, all sorts quitely lined up, and it’s all about to happen.
But maybe it isn’t. Maybe with a big deep squad we should ignore media insisting everyone just has to buy. We played matches last season with both Sali and Gabi – I trust Mosqy lots, white knows what he’s doing linking up in left, we have Cali and Hinky, a fit Timber is a bonus – are we desperate to bring a centre back in on big wage transfer fee whose expecting game time?