Arteta drops Arsenal star as Bruno Guimaraes edges closer to transfer

Bruno Guimaraes is closing in on a move to Arsenal, and the feeling at the Emirates is that a deal is only a matter of time. sources reports that the Gunners are expected to agree a fee in the region of £80 million (€95m) for the 28-year-old Brazil international. That would be a significant step above his €63.1m Estimated Transfer Value, but Arsenal would be buying one of the Premier League's most durable and demanding midfielders. Guimaraes has spent four years at the heart of Newcastle's midfield since arriving from Lyon, and last season he finished as the club's leading Premier League scorer with nine goals and five assists. His all-action game also draws constant attention from opponents; only Elliot Anderson was fouled more than him in the division. Those qualities make him an attractive fit for Mikel Arteta, who values players capable of adapting to different midfield roles. Arteta's base system last season was a 4-3-3 that occasionally shifted to a 4-2-3-1. The projected solution with Guimaraes is a midfield three alongside Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice, with Martin Odegaard the man left out. Odegaard can still be important in matches where Arsenal need more control, but Guimaraes offers extra energy and penetration in the final third. A starring role as a No.10 looks unlikely, especially with Eberechi Eze expected to get more minutes in that area. The expected Arsenal XI reads: David Raya; Jurrien Timber, Gabriel, William Saliba, Piero Hincapie; Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, Bruno Guimaraes; Bukayo Saka, Viktor Gyokeres, Christos Tzolis. Aside from that change, Arteta's team should look familiar. The biggest remaining question is the left wing, a problem the club is expected to solve in the transfer market before the end of August.