Former Newcastle winger Chris Waddle has expressed surprise at Arsenal's pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes, questioning how the Brazil international would fit into Mikel Arteta's starting lineup. The reigning Premier League champions have reportedly agreed a £75 million fee with Newcastle United for the 28-year-old midfielder, who is expected to undergo a medical this week.
Guimaraes on the verge of Arsenal switch
Arsenal have intensified their efforts to sign Guimaraes in recent days, with their hopes of landing primary target Vinicius Junior appearing to fade. The Brazil international informed Newcastle of his desire to move to north London at the start of the summer, and a major breakthrough in negotiations has paved the way for his departure.
Guimaraes is set to leave St James' Park as the first Newcastle captain since 1955 to lift a domestic trophy, having led the club to Carabao Cup glory last season. His impending arrival at the Emirates would make him Arsenal's third new signing of the summer, following Christos Tzolis and free agent Illan Meslier. The Gunners have also activated a £35 million option to sign Piero Hincapie permanently from Bayer Leverkusen after his impressive loan spell.
Waddle's concerns over midfield congestion
Despite Arsenal's strength in midfield, Waddle, who played for Newcastle between 1980 and 1985, remains puzzled by the move. Speaking to BetBrain, he said: 'I don't know where Bruno Guimaraes will play for Arsenal if he makes the move to north London. Declan Rice had a more advanced role last season and Martin Zubimendi sat deeper. They had a good midfield system last year, so you have to question where he'll fit in.'
Waddle acknowledged Guimaraes' qualities, describing him as 'an all-round player, he isn't scared in possession, and he's got the legs to go up and down the pitch.' However, he added: 'Arsenal have already got very similar players so I'm quite surprised they've gone all in for him.'
Rotation potential acknowledged
While Waddle questioned Guimaraes' place in the starting XI, he conceded the signing could be beneficial for squad depth. 'There's no doubt he's a good acquisition if they're going to be challenging for three or four trophies next season, as they'll need to rest players,' he said. 'I don't know how he'll fit into the starting XI, though.'
Newcastle's frustration with Arsenal's approach
According to Sky Sports, Newcastle have been less than impressed with how Arsenal have conducted the transfer. North east reporter Keith Downie explained: 'This started six weeks ago when intermediaries, essentially middle men, contacted Newcastle and asked if Bruno Guimaraes would be available and could he go to Arsenal. It was around about then that Bruno Guimaraes intimated that he would be willing to speak to Arsenal and would be up for moving to the Premier League champions.'
Downie added: 'I think what perplexed Newcastle over the last five or six weeks is the way Arsenal have gone about things. There was no direct contact, no formal offer, everything was played out through intermediaries and that really confused Newcastle to an extent.'
Financial impact for Newcastle
Guimaraes' departure will be a significant loss for Newcastle, but it leaves the club with substantial funds to reinvest. Downie noted: 'He will be a real big miss to this football club but it does leave Newcastle with money to spend in this transfer window, having now brought in £245m for Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes combined.'
