Mikel Arteta believes Bruno Guimaraes can give Arsenal a new edge as the £75 million signing begins his life at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal officially announced the Brazil midfielder’s arrival from Newcastle United on Saturday. The 28-year-old then received a warm welcome from supporters before Sunday’s pre-season meeting with Borussia Dortmund.
Guimaraes did not feature in Arsenal’s 3-2 defeat. Arteta expects him to get his first minutes against Como on Wednesday.
The Arsenal manager made clear why he pushed for the midfielder. He sees Guimaraes as more than another technical player.
“I think he describes himself as a warrior,” Arteta said. “He’s a warrior with tremendous quality as well, and intuition and leadership and charisma that is going to help us, that is going to really ignite something different in the team.”
Arteta also praised the midfielder’s immediate impact in training. He believes Guimaraes has already shown the hunger required to succeed at a club chasing major honours.
“We want to go to the next level,” Arteta said. “We are very, very much convinced that we’re going to need players with such a personality, desire and character.”
Guimaraes gives Arteta another option in a midfield already packed with quality. Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri can all operate in the area, while Eberechi Eze also offers another attacking option.
Arteta expects Guimaraes to bring versatility as well as steel. The Brazilian can operate in different midfield roles, win possession and move the ball quickly.
“He’s a player which obviously has tremendous timing and intuition to win the ball back and progress play very, very fast,” Arteta said.
Guimaraes can also threaten in the final third. Arteta highlighted his ability to find space between the lines, attack the box and finish chances.
“He’s a goal threat,” the Arsenal boss added. “He’s got a smell and really good timing to get in the box.”
The signing also signals Arsenal’s continued ambition in the transfer market. Arteta suggested the club could still move again if the right opportunity emerges.
“We’re trying to do that,” he said. “If we have the right player in the market to make us much better, we are very much looking forward to that.”
Arsenal have already added Christos Tzolis and goalkeeper Illan Meslier this summer. They also pursued Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior before he committed his future to the Spanish club.
