Arsenal's pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes makes perfect sense when you look at the Brazilian's skill set. The Newcastle United captain has emerged as one of the Premier League's most well‑rounded midfielders – a player who can win duels, break up opposition play, and still contribute goals and assists with a passing range that matches his physical presence. The Gunners have reportedly settled on a £75 million fee for the 28‑year‑old, adding him to a midfield roster that already features Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, Martin Ødegaard, Mikel Merino and the young Myles Lewis‑Skelly. The key question for Mikel Arteta is where Guimaraes will sit and how his attributes will be used.
Guimaraes is comfortable both as a deep‑lying playmaker (the classic No 6) and as a more advanced box‑to‑box midfielder (the No 8). In an October 2022 interview with Sky Sports, while he was still being deployed by former Newcastle boss Eddie Howe at No 6, he made his preference clear: "If you ask me, I prefer the No 8 role, but I understand the team needs me at No 6.
My job is to collect the ball, distribute it to the wingers and the strikers, and help the team win points. I can play both positions, and the most important thing for me is to get on the pitch and do what the manager asks." When Sandro Tonali arrived at Newcastle and took over the No 6 duties, Guimaraes shifted back into his favored No 8 slot, showing his willingness to adapt for the good of the side – a trait that will certainly appeal to Arteta, who values versatility.
A statistical breakdown of Guimaraes' Premier League minutes confirms his flexibility. The majority of his playing time at Newcastle came as a deep‑lying midfielder, but he also logged significant periods on the right‑ and left‑handed side of a No 8 role. This positional fluidity means Arsenal could deploy him in several ways depending on the tactical plan for a given match.
Even when he started as Newcastle's No 6, Guimaraes was given license to join the attack. He explained to Sky Sports that with Dan Burn playing as a left‑back, he could drift into central areas and become an extra outlet for the forwards. That freedom produced tangible numbers: in the 2021‑22 season he recorded four goals and five assists from the deeper role, and in the following campaign he improved to seven goals and eight assists – all while nominally occupying the defensive midfield slot.
Overall, Guimaraes has contributed 30 goals and 25 assists in 153 Premier League appearances for Newcastle, underscoring his capacity to influence the game in the final third despite his deeper positioning. How might Arsenal maximise those attacking instincts? One obvious approach is to pair him with a more traditional defensive midfielder in a double‑pivot. Declan Rice, who spent most of last season operating as a left‑sided No 8 before moving deeper into a right‑handed pivot alongside Lewis‑Skelly, could serve as the perfect foil.
Rice brings relentless energy, tactical discipline and a knack for covering space, while Guimaraes adds creativity, forward passing and goal‑scoring threat. In a double‑pivot, Arteta could then free up a pure No 10 – either Ødegaard or Eze – to operate behind the strikers. If Rice were unavailable, both Guimaraes and Lewis‑Skelly could occupy the No 8 slots, giving Arteta a flexible midfield shape that can shift between possession‑based and high‑pressing modes. Alternatively, Arteta could prioritize physicality by moving Guimaraes into a more advanced right‑handed No 8 position, the role he occupied for much of his Newcastle tenure.
In that configuration, Zubimendi could sit deeper as the primary destroyer, while Rice continues his box‑to‑box duties. This trio – Guimaraes, Zubimendi and Rice – would not be the most flamboyant, but it would dominate midfield battles and provide a solid platform for the attackers.
Statistically, Guimaraes resembles Ødegaard in terms of passing ambition. He averaged 8.6 line‑breaking passes per 90 minutes last season, a figure that outstripped both Rice and Zubimendi and matched the Arsenal captain’s creative output. Moreover, his forward‑pass accuracy was marginally higher than Ødegaard’s, indicating an ability to unlock tight defenses when the primary playmaker is off the pitch. The arrival of Guimaraes will inevitably spark debate about existing midfield options.
Last season Arsenal’s midfield minutes were heavily concentrated on Rice and Zubimendi, each logging over 4,000 minutes – a workload that could be eased by a high‑quality alternative. Injuries to Ødegaard, Merino and Kai Havertz forced Arteta to rely heavily on his core duo, while players like Christian Nørgaard never earned his trust.
Nørgaard’s pending move to Everton opens a squad slot that Guimaraes could comfortably fill. Lewis‑Skelly, who earned a starting role ahead of Zubimendi in the previous campaign, may find his position under threat, but Arsenal’s congested fixture list – 63 games across league, cups and European competition – guarantees rotation opportunities. Guimaraes, valued at around £80 million, is unlikely to be a peripheral figure; he is expected to be a first‑team regular, either anchoring the midfield or acting as the engine that links defence and attack. In summary, Bruno Guimaraes offers Arsenal a rare blend of physicality, defensive acumen and creative spark.
Whether he slots in as a deep‑lying pivot partner to Rice, pushes forward as a dynamic No 8, or rotates between the two roles depending on the opponent, his arrival will deepen Arsenal’s midfield options, reduce the burden on existing players and give Arteta a valuable tool to adapt his tactics throughout a demanding season.