2 pros & cons of Bruno Guimaraes joining Arsenal

For starters, his name isn’t even Gabriel…

Central midfield ranks high among the Arsenal transfer priorities this summer, and speculation is rife that Brazil star Bruno Guimaraes will be our primary target.

Last week, Eddie Howe confirmed that the 26-year-old has a £100m release clause coming into effect in June and Newcastle might want to cash in while stocks are at peak levels as they remain under pressure to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules.

It would constitute a big outlay, but Bruno has featured on the Gunners’ radar before and greatly impressed since his move to Tyneside. However, he is in huge demand and the chance to play Champions League football could tempt him to leave for north London.

An exit seems somewhat inevitable, so here are the pros and cons to his potential Emirates switch.

Pro #1: Passing profile to reignite the Arsenal LHS

Arsenal's left-hand side has suffered without Granit Xhaka in midfield, but Bruno is an excellent choice to reawaken our wide threat.

Such suitability owes much to his Xhaka-esque qualities, as he can also operate in a deep-lying role or else make an impact further forward.

Bruno often looks to break the lines, execute first-time passes and can pull off cross-field switches that would help reduce our current dependence on right-wing progression, with a lack of left-wing attacks this term contributing to the poor form of Gabriel Martinelli.

Additionally, the Newcastle man represents a strong ball-carrier and averages 1.9 take-ons per 90 minutes (98th percentile among his positional peers in Europe). This willingness to drive forward and draw players towards him could see us score more from midfield while giving Martinelli a partner with which to combine.

Although Arsenal seem to be managing quite well as it is, a Bruno profile may bring us up another gear.  

Con #1: He has some notable limitations

Bruno would be far from a major liability, but there are some parts of his game that might cause Arsenal some concern.

One particular drawback relates to physical stature; he is arguably too unimposing to thrive as the lone #6 (where you must shrug off challengers) and does not compete well in aerial duels - a means Mikel Arteta frequently uses to get up the pitch.

The Toon favourite also provides little in terms of tackles and interceptions, while even an advanced #8 station requires a goal-scoring touch along with the usual creative/defensive blend. 15 goals in 103 appearances (albeit often in a deep position) indicate he would not take up that mantle.

Such problems are likely surmountable and, like Declan Rice has done at #6, Bruno will probably have licence to develop these weaker aspects, despite the ‘ready-made’ message conveyed by his huge price tag.  

Yet, questions persist over how much he can elevate an already title-challenging side, and those doubts might lead Arsenal to steer clear.

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