Arsenal have now completed the signing of Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes for a reported fee of £70m, in what many are calling one of the best deals of the summer despite the fact that the Brazilian will turn 29 years old in November.
His signing is seen as the last piece of Arsenal’s midfield jigsaw puzzle after the Martin Zubimendi mismatch of last season.
This move, and more that will follow, will perfectly set Arsenal up for domestic domination for the next five years at least, just like Manchester City’s.
Why?
Arsenal finally captured the League last season after three years of coming close, and they were also a penalty away from winning the Champions League for the first time in their history. That is testament to the newfound stubborn winning mentality at the club.
However, one of the main reasons why Arsenal have failed at the highest level or in key situations over the past four years while chasing League titles and the UCL is their midfield’s inability to cope with the best.
Formerly in the League, it was the dominance of Manchester City’s midfield core of Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, and Bernardo Silva that denied Arsenal two League titles.
Over the past two years, it has been PSG’s dynamic trio of Joao Neves, Vitinha, and Fabian Ruiz that has limited and outrightly stopped Arsenal’s attempts to win the Champions League, in both the semi-finals and the final back in May.
However, with Guimaraes, Arsenal have a seasoned leader, captain, and experienced footballer who elevates their midfield closer to the level PSG’s midfield has displayed over the past two years.
Arsenal now have the material to totally outplay teams in the middle of the park instead of overly relying on their defence.
Bruno Guimaraes is perfectly capable of bringing the ball out from the back and involving influential players like Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze, who are then capable of creating chances aplenty for the Arsenal forward line.
In Guimaraes, it feels like Arsenal finally have a complete midfield that will help them stand toe-to-toe against clubs like PSG and even Barcelona — and that is a key component to dominance, especially in a league like the EPL.
Guimaraes is the dream signing that should help The Gunners now focus on balancing their attack by signing a top right winger who will make their team all but complete.
A team with Arsenal’s average age, depth, experience, and mentality will dominate the Premier League for at least five years.
