Following difficult and prolonged negotiations, Arsenal have lastly confirmed the arrival of Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes. However who’s the Brazil worldwide, what is going to he deliver to the facet, and why is he costing £75 million?
Phil Costa stories.
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After some tough performances within the residence straight of final season the place our (lack of) technical high quality and talent to progress the ball was uncovered, many followers set their eyes on a deeper-lying six who units the tempo and makes 100 passes per recreation. I understood however by no means actually agreed with that sentiment, as a result of there are three elite ones in world soccer they usually play for PSG, Bayern Munich and Manchester Metropolis.
Wanting throughout Europe at one of the best of the remaining; Manuel Locatelli, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Aleix Garcia, Angelo Stiller, they had been both unattainable or didn’t persuade me sufficient to push the large crimson button, so Arsenal had been at all times signing one other 6/8 type midfielder in my thoughts. That metronomic profile would have been pretty, however there actually aren’t any doubts about Bruno in possession whose passing is incisive and impressive.
Comfy because the deepest midfielder or barely additional ahead, his first thought is centred round hurting the opposition and turning defence into assault as shortly as potential. Regardless of lacking six video games with a hamstring drawback in direction of the tip of final season, the 28-year-old ranked within the high 5 gamers throughout the Premier League for defensive line-breaking passes (46) and thru balls (21), making extra line-breaking passes per 90 (6.97) than each Martin Zubimendi (4.25) and Declan Rice (3.61) which makes for encouraging studying. For reference, Martin Odegaard made 7.21 line-breaking passes per 90.
When assessing ahead gamers, it’s seen as a constructive trait to have the ability to miss possibilities and never be affected by it – to shake issues off and go once more. Bruno falls into that class as a result of his bravery when distributing signifies that 5 by way of balls won’t come off, however you could be positive he’s already serious about the following one. He desires to strive the tough passes and there’s actual craft and disguise in a few of his artistic play, alongside the extra apparent diagonal switches and balls into the channel.
Extra importantly, there are two gamers who I believe may benefit from that includes alongside Bruno: Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres. Newcastle are very completely different to Arsenal however there are some particular passes in his repertoire that turned a theme of his time up north. Cute, slipped passes between the centre again and left again, and first time passes excessive for the centre ahead to run onto.
Alexander Isak was a significant beneficiary of these first-time passes in behind (when he didn’t have the muscle mass of a toothpick) and Gyokeres likes to make these runs, the place he can get into his stride early and cost by way of on objective. Equally, Saka and Martin Odegaard developed a telepathic partnership down that proper hand facet the place they’d typically choose the lock in opposition to deep defences, with little exchanges, one-twos, and the Brazilian loves that little cross inside to interrupt video games open.
Adventurous passing = extra turnovers, and issues received’t at all times come off, however in a sometimes secure midfield we are able to afford somebody being extra punchy in hope of forcing extra harmful conditions.
His recreation isn’t actually about beating folks in shut quarters, however Bruno at all times makes himself obtainable to obtain from the defence and switch away from stress, notably with intelligent first-time touches into area that make opponents look foolish. He’s technical, if a bit bumbly at occasions, however his safety below stress is superb – an space wherein Arsenal struggled throughout that powerful run in April and early Could.
Regardless of his passing catching the attention, we’re speaking a few two-way midfielder in each sense and you may see that in his defensive output. Newcastle had been principally horrible to play in opposition to below Eddie Howe and Bruno felt like a microcosm of that; he’s intense, gritty and a fierce competitor when his toes – versus his elbows – do the speaking.
Based on Opta information, the Brazilian received extra duels (6.1) and made extra tackles (2.1) per 90 than some other Arsenal midfielder final season, with solely Rice (5.2 to his 5.0) making extra recoveries. Regardless of his general numbers dropping over time, he completed both first or second amongst Newcastle gamers for duels received in every of his 4 seasons on the membership, and confirmed an actual knack for successful the ball excessive up the pitch final time period when handed extra freedom to push ahead past Sandro Tonali.
The 28-year-old reads the sport properly and is aware of learn how to squeeze himself between the ball and opposition gamers, along with his tackling approach surprisingly affected person – but tenacious – which implies he escapes duels with possession most of the time. Over the previous three Premier League seasons, Bruno is the one midfielder with greater than 200 duels received, possessions received, tackles and fouls received – highlighting his willingness to do the soiled work.
Nonetheless, there are events the place he jumps in and will get bypassed, and with out high finish pace (or a Rice-level engine) to assist get well area that might show problematic; particularly in a extra conventional double pivot. His temperament can be one other query mark as a result of we all know Bruno performs with whole dedication, however he can get sucked into the emotion of video games which ends up in foolish fouls and pointless spats on the pitch, which can harm him with out the Newcastle get out of jail free card.
The consistency of his finish product from midfield has additionally been neglected. Over time, Rice added that high quality to his recreation and Zubimendi got here up with some key moments, however Arsenal had been a low-scoring facet final season (though that was a league-wide development) and targets from midfield had been scarce. Bruno, in the meantime, loved his best season final time period – scoring 9 league targets and helping an additional 5 – making it 30 targets and 25 assists in 153 league appearances for Newcastle.
These are spectacular numbers and you may see he’s bought a good strike from the sting of the field, however the midfielder can be a clean operator in congested areas, making late runs that go un-tracked, or getting on the tip of low cutbacks.
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— Phil Costa (@philcosta.bsky.social) 2026-08-07T07:10:22.214Z
Is that this a slight overpay for a 28-year-old (quickly to be 29-year-old) midfielder with different choices obtainable – probably. As Lewis Ambrose factors out, the biggest charge ever paid for a midfielder 28 or over, till now, was the €77.5m (£66m) Actual Madrid paid Juventus to signal Zinedine Zidane again in 2001. However the present market has decimated what we beforehand knew about worth, and I’m extra eager about Arsenal capitalising on a really actual window which might see them dominate English soccer for the following few seasons.
Manchester Metropolis and Liverpool are each in transition below new managers and coping with main squad adjustments, whereas Chelsea and Manchester United proceed to navigate life below new head coaches themselves. Arsenal, in the meantime, can lastly breathe after shaking the title monkey off their backs final season, have one of many strongest squads in Europe and are completely positioned to defend their crown – including a battle-hardened midfielder who is aware of the league makes whole sense.
You may see Bruno enjoying alongside Rice, forming probably the most cellular and combative midfield pairings within the nation. You may see Bruno enjoying as a substitute of Rice, whose physique may as properly be glued along with papier mache and modelling clay, and you possibly can additionally see Bruno enjoying forward of Rice ought to sure opposition or recreation states require it.
However there are a large number of various choices and pairings you possibly can consider, with Zubimendi, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino all providing one thing completely different, and instantly you’ve bought some actually thrilling choices. Then you definitely get to the management side of the participant, the competitor, the emotional heartbeat, the shithouse who others like to hate – however there’s no person higher when they’re carrying your colors. In fact he’s a little bit of a twat, however he’s our twat now.
Life has an odd approach of working itself out. It ought to’ve been him strolling out with Edu at Heathrow Airport six-and-a-half years in the past – not good-looking Pablo Mari – they usually positively ought to’ve signed him two years later earlier than Newcastle nipped in with Lyon needing to promote. Arsenal needed to put on that mistake on a couple of event however in the end they may have the final snigger; stealing the broadly adored captain from St James’ Park with but extra silverware of their sights.
And those that snigger final, normally snigger one of the best.
