FIVE reasons why Arsenal have signed Guimaraes

Arsenal have completed the signing of Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes, bolstering their midfield options ahead of their Premier League title defence.

Guimaraes, who started all five of Brazil’s matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, joins up with Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli, and Gabriel Jesus – to expand Arsenal’s Brazilian contingent.

And he joins a stacked midfield, which may leave some Arsenal supporters wondering why manager Mikel Arteta was willing to spend big on another man in the middle.

Here are five reasons why Arsenal have signed him. 

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1. His defensive work outstrips Arteta's current midfield options

What most defines Guimaraes, at least in the imaginations of Premier League viewers, is his outstanding defensive work.

He is a hard-battling player, both strong in the tackle and sharp in the 50-50, as the statistics show.

In 2025/26, Guimaraes made more tackles per 90 and won more ground duels per 90 than any Arsenal central midfielder, while only Declan Rice recovered the ball more often:

Guimaraes v Arsenal midfielders, defensive actions per 90, 25/26

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It makes Guimaraes one of the Premier League’s most impressive defensive-minded midfielders, adding to Arsenal’s world-leading defence.

2. Midfield versatility gives Arteta options

The new Arsenal midfielder is also able to play in several different roles.

He began his career at Newcastle playing at the base of midfield as a No 6 - an out-and-out defensive midfielder - but more recently has excelled as a No 8, shuttling up and down in a box-to-box role.

Arteta loves midfielders like that. Mikel Merino, Rice, and Martin Zubimendi are also capable of playing as a No 6 or an No 8, and the addition of an elite midfielder in Guimaraes ensures the Arsenal manager has multiple different tactical options.

For example, Rice could be freed to play higher up the pitch by a sitting Guimaraes, or the Brazilian could maraud forward at times when Arsenal need more urgency in their play.

As the following statistics show, Guimaraes is more direct than Arsenal’s other midfield options, showing a greater willingness to be forward-thinking.

Guimaraes v Arsenal midfielders, passes per 90, 25/26

Getting around the pitch and always looking for the line-breaking option, Guimaraes is one of the best, busting a gut to move his team into advanced areas as quickly as possible. These are the qualities that make him so versatile.

3. Guimaraes offers a significant goal threat

One expression of that versatility is Guimaraes’s goalscoring and goal-creating qualities, which are just as impressive as his defensive numbers.

He scored 30 goals and assisted another 25 in 153 Premier League matches for Newcastle, contributing a goal or assist every three matches, on average.

Last season, Guimaraes scored nine goals and assisted a further five, which was not only one of the most productive of his career but also more than any other Newcastle player.

Guimaraes' shot placement map, 25/26

And almost more than any Arsenal player, too. Only striker Viktor Gyokeres (14) scored more Premier League goals than Bruno or contributed more combined goals and assists than the new Arsenal midfielder.

Guimaraes' goal contributions compared to Arsenal and Newcastle players, 25/26*

Guimaraes gives Arteta a goal threat from deep that was lacking in 2025/26. In tight matches especially, that could make all the difference.

4. Set-piece quality can improve Arsenal’s corners even more

We all know that set-pieces are one of Arsenal’s most important goalscoring methods and Guimaraes can take the club to an even higher level in this regard.

First of all, he wins a huge number of fouls, on average 2.6 per game last season, the second-most in the Premier League, suggesting Arsenal could win more dead-balls in 2026/27.

Most fouled Premier League players, 25/26

But Guimaraes is also a very good set-piece taker.

So good, in fact, that back in December he scored directly from a corner in a 2-1 victory over Burnley.

Guimaraes' crossing from corners is, statistically, even better than Rice and Bukayo Saka's, with 25 per cent of his corners last season leading to a shot from the first contact. 

Guimaraes' corners compared to Rice and Saka, 25/26

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That 25 per cent figure is among the very best in the Premier League.

Again, this is about versatility and increased options for Arteta. From now on, he can rest or withdraw Rice without losing set-piece specialty.

5. Bruno can take Arsenal to a ‘different level’

“A lot is happening," Arteta told club media earlier this week. "We all know about the context of this transfer window.

“From ownership to the board, the sporting director and myself, we know that we want to take this club to a different level. That is going to require a better squad, better individuals.”

Guimaraes very much fits the requirement of reaching a “different level”.

Bruno is a hugely experienced Premier League international (he assisted four goals at this year’s World Cup, incidentally) and brings leadership qualities to the team.

More than that, he is a star: capable of sprinkling a bit of magic onto the Arsenal attack.

The highlights reel of his best moments is some watch. Take this, for example, an outrageous back-heel finish from a corner against Southampton in 2022. Or how about his remarkable no-look, over-the-top clipped pass versus Wolves in 2024. Or an outrageous outside-of-the-boot cross for a Dan Burn goal against Fulham in 2023.

Watch: The BEST OF Bruno Guimaraes

Arsenal weren’t short of top-quality footballers. But they arguably didn’t have one as complete – as defensively astute and offensively smart, as capable of mucking-in and dazzling – until Guimaraes arrived.