Arsenal finally land Bruno Guimaraes: Arteta's dream XI takes shape

Bruno Guimaraes is finally heading to Arsenal. The deal with Newcastle is effectively done, with only the formal stamp missing before the midfielder joins the Premier League champions. The transfer fee is reported to be in the region of €90m (£70m), which looks like a comparative bargain in a market where central midfielders have been moving for huge sums. Guimaraes's Estimated Transfer Value is €63.1m, but the usual rules have been put on hold for the game's biggest spenders this summer. The Premier League's traditional Big Six have all been active in the central midfield market, even if Liverpool and Chelsea have so far held back. This summer has already produced three enormous deals: Elliot Anderson to Manchester City for €135m, Sandro Tonali to Tottenham for €108m and Matheus Fernandes to Spurs for €99m. Manchester United have searched for bargains such as Youri Tielemans, while Arsenal, guided by sporting director Andrea Berta, have found a way to land a top-level player without paying an outrageous fee. The big tactical question is how Arteta will use him. Guimaraes is a multi-dimensional midfielder, and his ability to handle different tasks in the middle of the pitch is part of his appeal. At Newcastle, he operated mainly as a box-to-box player with significant attacking responsibility, and that is likely to be the template in north London. He should play in a midfield three alongside Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi, with Martin Odegaard the player most likely to lose his place. Odegaard's ability to slow games down is valuable in certain moments, but Guimaraes brings more energy and directness in the final third. A regular No.10 role looks unlikely. Eberechi Eze should get more opportunities after a slow start last season, and Arteta has other options in that area. Guimaraes may occasionally push forward, but that will not be his primary job. His arrival does not overhaul the side. The projected starting XI now carries around €550m in total transfer fees, a figure kept lower by academy graduate Bukayo Saka. Declan Rice remains the team's most expensive player after signing from West Ham for a club-record €116m. The biggest lingering question is the left wing: the projected XI includes Christos Tzolis, but that spot could still be upgraded before the end of August. Projected Arsenal XI with Guimaraes: Raya; Timber, Gabriel, Saliba, Hincapie; Rice, Zubimendi, Guimaraes; Saka, Gyokeres, Tzolis.