Arsenal are looking to strengthen their squad in the January transfer window and are reportedly interested in signing Atlético Paranaense’s Bruno Guimaraes. Guimaraes was one of the best players in the Brazilian league last season which has resulted in interest from a few top sides in Europe.
Metro are reporting that the Gunners, along with London rivals Chelsea, are interested in the Brazilian, while Portuguese side Benfica are the favourites to sign him. The 22-year-old central midfielder was a part of the Atlético Paranaense side that won the Copa do Brasil and Copa Sudamericana Championship last season.
The midfielder’s contract with the Brazilian side expires only in 2023. He signed with Paranaense permanently from Audax in 2018 after the completion of a year-long loan spell at the club.
Bruno Guimaraes: What will he add to the team?
Bruno Guimaraes is a technically gifted midfielder who can pass and distribute the ball well from the middle of the park, and control the tempo of the game. The young Brazilian has superb passing range – long and short, while also possessing the vision to play nearer to the final third and making delicate passes to his teammates.
Guimaraes also has the ability to drive forward with the ball, or drift into key areas while linking up with the forward players. The 22-year-old has the potential to be a top-class player if his recent form is any indication. He is averaging 5.5 long balls and 1.8 key passes per game in the league, while also making 64.8 passes per game on an average.
The midfielder could be a useful Premier League player, although he may not quite get into the starting XI on a consistent basis at Arsenal. The Gunners already have a good young midfielder in Matteo Guendouzi waiting in the ranks. If Arsenal do sign Guimaraes, he could be fourth or fifth in the pecking order for manager Mikel Arteta as the new Gunners manager also has Granit Xhaka and youngster Joe Willock in the ranks along with the industrious Lucas Torreira.
But with the future of at least a couple of the above-mentioned players expected to be considered in the summer, the services of someone like Bruno Guimaraes, who will have been vetted by Arteta, will be a welcome addition as he has all the qualities to develop into an excellent option for the Gunners in the years to come.
Stats Courtesy: Whoscored
