Arsenal has finalized the signing of midfielder Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United in a transfer worth £75 million. Guimaraes, 28, has agreed to a four-year contract with the option for an additional year. He will wear the number 39 jersey for the Gunners.
Upon joining Arsenal, Guimaraes expressed his excitement, stating, 'I feel amazing. I'm glad for the opportunity. Since my first conversation with Andrea Berta and Mikel Arteta, I was excited. I felt inside me that I needed a new challenge, and being an Arsenal player will be an exciting challenge.' Guimaraes added, 'I'm your warrior, I'll never give up.
Hopefully, we can create many good memories together.' Arsenal's sporting director, Andrea Berta, welcomed Guimaraes, describing him as a player with great mentality and quality who will bring strong leadership to the squad. Berta noted, 'With Bruno joining us, we are further strengthening the heart of our team. He can play as a defensive midfielder and as a box-to-box player, combining quality with quantity.' Newcastle had hoped to retain Guimaraes, but his departure means the club has sold over £240 million worth of talent this summer.
Guimaraes had informed Newcastle of his desire to join Arsenal if a suitable offer was made. He joined Newcastle in 2022 from Lyon for £40 million and made 195 appearances, scoring 31 goals and winning the Carabao Cup.
On leaving Newcastle, Guimaraes said, 'This is one of the toughest decisions of my life. When I arrived, the club was in a challenging position, and I am incredibly proud of what we achieved together.' Guimaraes expressed his gratitude to the club, its staff, and the supporters, stating, 'I fell in love with this place. I really mean that. From my first day, everyone made me and my family feel at home.' Sky Sports' Oliver Yew described Guimaraes as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, if not the world, and believes his arrival is an upgrade for Arsenal.
Yew noted that Guimaraes' signing gives Arsenal even more options and allows for the possibility of Declan Rice to get a breather in certain games. The deal has been seen as a fair fee, considering the reported £100 million fee that was initially wanted. Guimaraes is expected to make an immediate impact, as he is one of the most consistent Premier League midfielders. His arrival should bring Arsenal closer to winning their first Champions League title and potentially retaining the Premier League title.