Bruno Guimaraes will play his football at the Emirates. Arsenal have completed the £75m signing of Newcastle’s captain, handing manager Mikel Arteta a fresh central midfielder as the champions look to defend their Premier League title.
The Brazil international will wear the No. 39 shirt on a four-year deal with the option of a fifth. Arsenal’s opening bid was rejected earlier in the window before Newcastle relented on a fee they insisted should reflect Guimaraes’ age and standing among the league’s top midfielders.
“I feel amazing. I’m glad for the opportunity,” Guimaraes said as the move was confirmed.
He called it “one of the toughest decisions of my life” and told Arsenal supporters he would be their “warrior.”
Read also: The day Anfield turned on Britain’s new Prime Minister
“We are delighted to welcome Bruno Guimaraes to our club. Bruno is a player with a great mentality and quality, who will bring strong leadership to our squad,” said Andrea Berta, Arsenal’s sporting director, in the club’s confirmation of the signing.
Newcastle’s rebuild after a £240m exodus
Guimaraes is the third headline departure from Newcastle this summer. Sandro Tonali has joined Tottenham for £100m in a club-record sale, and Anthony Gordon has moved to Barcelona for £69.3m. The three sales have taken Newcastle beyond £240m in outgoing fees.
Newcastle resisted the Arsenal approach for two summers before accepting the player’s clear request to leave. Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie said the club had been “desperate to keep Bruno Guimaraes and if he had said he wanted to stay, Newcastle would have refused any offer.”
The upheaval reaches the dugout. Eddie Howe left the club at the end of last season, and Newcastle turned to Matthias Jaissle on a four-year contract announced on 5 August. The 38-year-old German, previously with Al-Ahli and Red Bull Salzburg, inherits a squad rebuilt in a single window.
Read also: The staggering numbers behind Argentina’s biggest problem after Lionel Messis retirement
Arteta’s fifth senior midfielder
For Arsenal, Guimaraes joins a central midfield that already includes Declan Rice, captain Martin Odegaard, summer signing Martin Zubimendi and Eberechi Eze. Since winning the Premier League last season, the club has moved decisively in the market rather than trust the same group to defend it.
Guimaraes joined Newcastle from Lyon for £40m in 2022 and made 195 appearances with 31 goals over four seasons in the North East. He captained the club to the 2025 Carabao Cup, their first major domestic trophy in 70 years.
Read also: Nick Kyrgios tests positive for cocaine: Tsitsipas says 'pretty much expected'
