Arsenal club completed the signing of Brazilian Bruno Guimarães, arriving from Newcastle United on a long-term contract, after numerous negotiations between the two parties recently.
The Gunners strengthened the team's midfield by adding the Brazilian player, in preparation for competing to retain the Premier League title.
Guimarães will join Gabriel Magalhães, Gabriel Martinelli, and Gabriel Jesus, expanding the Brazilian presence at Arsenal.
Guimarães thus joins a star-studded midfield, which may prompt some Arsenal fans to question why manager Mikel Arteta is willing to spend huge sums on another midfielder.
The official Premier League website reviewed 5 reasons behind Arsenal's signing of Bruno Guimarães.
1- His defensive superiority exceeds Arteta's current options in midfield
What distinguishes Guimarães most, at least in the imagination of Premier League followers, is his exceptional defensive level.
He is a strong player in duels, possesses power in defensive tackles, and excels in one-on-one duels, as confirmed by the statistics.
During the 2025/26 season, Guimarães recorded a higher rate of tackles per 90 minutes and won more ground duels per 90 minutes than any central midfielder at Arsenal, while Declan Rice was the only player who recovered the ball more times than him.
This makes Guimarães one of the most impressive midfielders in the Premier League in terms of defensive inclination, adding to Arsenal's world-leading defense.
2- His versatility in midfield gives Arteta greater options
Arsenal's new midfielder also possesses the ability to play in several different roles.
He began his career with Newcastle in the holding role as a number 6, a pure defensive midfielder, but has shone more recently in the number 8 role, moving up and down the pitch in a box-to-box midfielder role.
Arteta loves this type of midfielder, as both Mikel Merino, Declan Rice, and Martin Zubimendi are also capable of playing in the number 6 or 8 positions, and adding a top-class midfielder like Guimarães ensures Arsenal's manager has multiple tactical options.
For example, Rice can be given freedom to advance into higher areas of the pitch with Guimarães in the holding role, or the Brazilian himself can push forward at times when Arsenal needs more speed and vitality in play.
As the statistics show, Guimarães is more direct than Arsenal's other midfield options and shows greater willingness for offensive thinking and forward movement.
Thanks to his ability to move across the pitch and his constant search for options to penetrate the defense, Guimarães is considered one of the best players, as he does his utmost to move his team into attacking areas as quickly as possible; these are the qualities that make him a versatile player.
3- He represents a major attacking threat
One aspect of Guimarães' versatility lies in his ability to score goals and create them, abilities no less impressive than his defensive numbers.
Guimarães scored 30 goals and created 25 others in 153 Premier League matches with Newcastle, at an average goal contribution every three matches.
In the past season, Guimarães scored 9 goals and created 5 others, a tally that was not only among the best of his career but also made him the player with the most goal contributions among all Newcastle players.
Even more than almost any other player at Arsenal, only striker Viktor Gyökeres (14 goals) scored more goals than Guimarães in the Premier League, or contributed to more goals and assists combined than Arsenal's new midfielder.
Guimarães gives Arteta attacking power from the back that he lacked in the 2025/26 season, and in tight matches in particular, that could make a big difference.
4- Set-piece quality can elevate Arsenal's corners to a higher level
We all know that set pieces are one of Arsenal's most important ways of scoring goals, and Guimarães can elevate the team to a higher level in this aspect.
First, the player wins a large number of fouls at an average of 2.6 fouls per match during the past season, the second-highest rate in the Premier League, indicating that Arsenal may win more set pieces in the 2026/27 season.
But Guimarães is also skilled at executing set pieces, to the extent that he scored a goal from a direct corner kick last December in a match his team won 2-1 against Burnley.
Guimarães' deliveries from corners are statistically better than those of Rice and Bukayo Saka, as 25% of his corners last season resulted in a first-touch shot.
The 25% rate is among the best in the Premier League.
Again, it is about Arteta's versatility and increasing his options; from now on, he can rest Rice or drop him from the lineup without losing his set-piece advantage.
5- Capable of elevating Arsenal to a different level
Arteta told the club's media earlier this week: "There is a lot happening, we all know the context of the current transfer window."
He added: "From the owners, through the board and the sporting director, to me, we know we want to elevate this club to a different level, and that will require building a better team and having better players."
Guimarães aligns greatly with the requirements of reaching a different level.
Bruno Guimarães is an international player with great experience in the Premier League, and he created four goals at the World Cup this year by the way, as well as adding distinctive leadership qualities to the team.
Moreover, he is a star capable of adding a touch of magic to Arsenal's attack.
His highlight reel includes many moments worth watching, for example, his wonderful back-heel goal from a corner against Southampton in 2022, or his stunning pass over the defenders without looking against Wolverhampton in 2024, as well as his amazing delivery with the outside of the foot that resulted in Dan Burn's goal against Fulham in 2023.
Arsenal was not lacking in top-class footballers, but it could be said that it did not have a complete player like this—one who possesses defensive and offensive intelligence and is capable of effective participation and brilliance—until Guimarães arrived.