Arsenal are reportedly among a few Premier League clubs interested in signing Lyon midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.
The Brazilian international, 24, has starred in the Lyon midfield since arriving from Athletico Paranaense in January 2020. He has been a regular fixture in Peter Bosz’s side this season, racking up three assists in 17 Ligue 1 outings. The defensive midfielder was also a crucial cog in the Brazil team that won Olympic gold last summer.
According to The Evening Standard, Arsenal have been admirers of Bruno Guimaraes for a long time and could make a bid in the current transfer window, but they face competition from Newcastle United and Everton. Lyon don’t want to lose one of their top performers mid-season but a bid of around £40million could tempt them into selling him, the report adds.
Guimaraes has slowly but steadily grown into a top midfielder in Ligue 1, thus, attracting interest from a host of top clubs from across Europe. The Gunners showed an interest in the Brazilian before the start of the campaign, making contact with his agent and while they never made an official bid, they could table an offer this month.
Bruno Guimaraes to Arsenal—The right midfield option for Mikel Arteta?
Arsenal have long put behind their woeful start to the season and are now very much in the reckoning for a top-four finish in the Premier League.
The Gunners look a different unit at the moment, with young guns like Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Ben White, Emile Smith Rowe and Martin Odegaard delivering the goods consistently. Even after falling to a stoppage-time defeat to Manchester City last weekend, there’s a clear identity with which the north Londoners are progressing under Mikel Arteta.
However, Arteta’s side have been weakened in the midfield department following the departures of Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny to the AFCON. Ainsley Maitland-Niles is also closing in on a loan move to AS Roma, which would potentially leave Arteta with just two central midfielders to select from between the temperamental Granit Xhaka and Albert Sambi Lokonga.
Thus, signing a central midfielder has become a necessity for Arsenal in this window, and Bruno Guimaraes would be a smart fit at the Emirates Stadium.
A technically strong midfielder, Guimaraes can do a bit of everything in the middle of the park. He can pass the ball well, dictate the tempo of a game and get stuck in with some solid tackles to win the ball back for his team. The Brazilian international can cover some crucial yards with the ball and set up a few clear-cut chances in the final third of the pitch.
The Lyon star will add plenty of energy and dynamism to Mikel Arteta‘s midfield, whilst improving the depth of the squad. At 24, Guimaraes is an excellent long-term option for the north London club as his best years lie ahead of him.
Having scouted him for a number of years, the January transfer window could be the right time for Arsenal to make their best attempts to bring Bruno Guimaraes to the Emirates Stadium.
