Many have asked the question, what about captain Martin Ødegaard if Arsenal sign Bruno Guimarães. – Well, now we have the first part of the answer! – But I don’t think there is any reason for nail-biting.
Premier League champions Arsenal have further strengthened their squad – signing Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle for £75 million.
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A Force of Nature
The Brazilian midfielder has signed a four-year contract at the Emirates Stadium, with an option for a further year. The transfer puts an end to a long-running saga, where Newcastle eventually had to realise that they could not keep their captain.
Guimarães joined Newcastle in January 2022 for £42 million. Since then, he has recorded 153 Premier League appearances, 30 goals and 26 assists. Lyon is entitled to 20 percent of the profit Newcastle are left with from the sale.
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“One of the toughest decisions of my life”
The departure is another heavy blow for Newcastle, who have already lost key players Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali this summer. Gordon went to Barcelona, while Tonali chose Tottenham – a total of around £170 million.
But the loss of Guimarães will sting extra hard for Newcastle supporters.
In an emotional greeting to his fans, he writes:
“This is one of the toughest decisions of my life. When I arrived, the club was in a demanding position, and I am incredibly proud of what we achieved together.
“I fell in love with this place. I really think so. From day one, the supporters, teammates, Eddie Howe and everyone around the club made me and my family feel at home.
“This change is very tough because Newcastle means so much to me, but I wanted to experience something new in life. I feel ready for a new challenge—for myself and my family.
“I had a very positive conversation with new coach Matthias Jaissle, and I leave the club in safe hands.
“To the supporters: Thank you will never be enough, but I say it with all my heart. I will always be proud to have been a part of this club’s journey. Thank you for everything.
Reinforcing already feared midfield
Arsenal already boast what is believed to be the Premier League’s best midfield, with names such as Declan Rice, Martin Ødegaard, Martín Zubimendi and Eberechi Eze – all central as the club won its first league title in years.
Nevertheless, sporting director Andrea Berta believes that Guimarães will give Mikel Arteta even more opportunities.
“We are very happy to welcome Bruno Guimarães to the club,” Berta told Arsenal’s official website.
“Bruno is a player with a great will to win and high quality, and he will bring strong leadership to the team.
“With Bruno on board, we further strengthen the heart of the team. As we have all seen, he can play both as a defensive midfielder and in a box-to-box role. He combines quality with quantity, and has delivered goals and assists every single year.
“Bruno will give Mikel the opportunity to further develop our style of play and increase internal competition – which is absolutely crucial to maintain the standard required when we are fighting for major trophies.
Wants to write himself into Arsenal’s history books
Guimarães helped Newcastle win their first trophy in 70 years when they won the EFL Cup in 2025. Now he hopes to expand his trophy collection in North London.
“What I have achieved so far is great, but I want more,” he says.
“I want to win for Arsenal. I want to win more trophies in my career, and I think I’m in the right place – at the peak of my career at 28.
“I’m so excited to be a part of this. Here, with this suit on, you have to go to win trophies. Win everything we can and create history.
“I want to put my name in the club’s history. One day, when I leave, I hope new players come here and say, ‘I want to do exactly what Bruno did for the club.’
“I think it’s the best thing a player can do for a club: create history and inspire the youngsters.
Martin Ødegaard: World-class Norwegian captain
