Morning all.
Well well, Bruno Guimaraes wants to join Arsenal!
The Athletic’s David Ornstein broke the news yesterday evening that Bruno Guimaraes has informed Newcastle United of his wish to leave St James’ Park and join Arsenal. The Premier League champions are stepping up their pursuit of the 28-year-old and have indicated a willingness to pay up to £60million for the midfielder, he added.
Now it’s up to Newcastle to make a decision, sell him or keep an unhappy player in the camp. The long and drawn out sale of Isak last summer was very different to to quick sales of Gordon and Tonali this this time around so hopefully, if this story is factual, the Brazilian will be through the Arsenal doors sooner rather than later.
It doesn’t matter if you and I are for or against this potential deal because it’s not us who have to work with him but I’m sure someone somewhere won’t be happy should Bruno end up at Arsenal. Let’s be honest though, he’s been excellent for Newcastle and a thorn in our side for a few years, well, until last season. To have him Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi and Myles Lewis-Skelly as our midfield options, would in my opinion, be the envy of many footballing managers. Mikel Merino is in the equation too of course, a player who if Arteta asked him to play in goal, would probably say yes and play well.
The rumours rumble on about our attacking players. Who stays and who goes is very much unclear. Ethan Nwaneri, who I personally would much rather see deputise for Bukayo Saka than Noni Madueke, future at Arsenal is uncertain.
Leandro Trossard is reported to have agreed a deal to join Besiktas and Gabriel Martinelli is constantly being linked to a departure too so it’s not wonder we’re linked to wingers. Who that might end up being is anyone’s guess but he needs to be much better than Trossard otherwise what’s the point?
Kroupi, Barcola, Rogers and Summerville are just a few names mentioned in the same sentence as Arsenal. Rogers sits top of the list according to The Athletic so if he wants to join Arsenal, perhaps like Bruno, he needs to tell his club that.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have snapped up Illan Meslier on a free transfer. Romano suggests the 6’ 7” keeper passed his medical on Tuesday. This is a weird one in my opinion.
It’s nice to see a different PL club to us signing players from Chelsea as Man Utd have agreed at £50m deal for Andrey Santos. I wonder how much we’d have been fleeced for had it been Arsenal who wanted him? More than £50m I’m sure, after all, Santos is still just 22 years old.
Anyway, the World Cup quarterfinals get going tonight with France taking on Morocco at 9pm UK time. I’d love to see an upset but I can’t imagine there will be one.
Catch up in the comments.
Arsene Wenger was right with his used car analogy. International managers care only about the here and now. What happens after the international fixtures is of no concern to them but it should be.
New post up now.
Devil you can add the Spanish contingent to that list as well Raya , Zubimendi , Merino , plus Eze making 8 players until the first international break where they can all go and trot off for their countries again.
What did Wenger say about used cars .
Morning Devil, all.
Switzerland having a player sent off on 72 minutes certainly helped Argentina. Rice should have won the player of the season, not Fernandes but I think that vote tells its own story.
We might not see Rice, Saka, Saliba, Madueke at least before the first international break. They need to rest well. So Arteta needs to rotate well and also buy wisely. We surely need a RB, a CB, a DM and a Winger. Keeper we already are well stocked now.
I read on FB that Nwaneri wants to stay at Arsenal and he will be kept. So there is a chance that he will begin the season on the RW seeing that Saka and Madueke, the present incumbents are still in the WC.
I don’t think Mavropanos will come. He knows that he might begin the season until Saliba recovers well and he also knows that once Saliba is fit and rested it will be back to the solid partnership of Willy and Gaby. So I dont think he will want to come back. I would be surprised. I think that Arteta will go down the Mosquera route and buy a very young CB who can play second fiddle like Mosquera did last season. So I think that the CB partnership at the beginning will be Mosquera and Gabi.
Good morning Rico and all
England pass through with a 2-1 score. Argentina win as well 3-1. Both in extra time. With the other semifinal being France vs Spain, its a worthy line up of a WC semifinal.
Odegaard returns. he had a great WC and against England he had one assist to make a total of 4 assists in 5 games. I am still scratching my head why Bruno got the player of the season in England when he divides more than he mulitplies. I am glad he is coming back in one piece so now he can rest, recover and reganerate. Meanwhile, Stones and Guehi managed to bully Haaland into submission. For them it was a training game.
Saka is being managed and rightly so. And Madueke is playing his part in doing so. While his football mental processes in the final third might be questioned sometimes, he is still getting game time, running the opposition ragged, while proving an able deputy to Saka who badly needs a rest. Fingers crossed he comes back in one piece….he will not play till the first international break. Rice as well. So why isnt Tuchel doing the same with Rice and rotating him to give him rest?
A fifa director refused to answer when asked by a BBC journalist on Balogun’s red card.
I guess Henderson was selected for that but the plonker broke his arm. MLS is imo, likely to be in the Euros 2028..
Or the boy from Crystal Palace, Wharton isn’t it?
Makes sense saving Saka but Rice is irreplaceable so he was always going to play him, its a pity he didn’t take Myles because after Rice and Anderson he’s the next best.
Madueke starts in place of Saka. Rice fit although I use the term fit loosely..
We could two Zorba’s then Kev. 😜
Seems that we’re going to sign him Rico, or so they say on NewsNow. 😀
We bid £5m, which is quite a lot for a 16 year old but City just paid City money, never mind the 115 charges…
Have we signed him then Kev? 😂
I was convinced Monga was joining us, hey ho..
That’s true Rico, so I guess this Greek geezer better be good because he’s got big boots to fill…
Monga signs for City for chump change, £12.5m, or Etihad chump change…
It’s about timing surely with Trossard, as it was with Xhaka. Look at what happened with other players and not just Arsenal, they sign a deal and then form drops. I’m not suggesting that would happen with Trossard but it’s possible.
Saliba isn’t fit, agree on Trossard, Fernandez overpriced, Bruno is better than Tonali, older but ultimately cheaper.
Saliba isn’t having a good Wold Cup. I think playing as a left-sided center.back plays a part in that.
I still think Trossad could have been given a one-year contract extension.
I don’t understand why we didn’t make a serious move for Mateus Fernandes (Arsenal fan?). If we were interested in Bruno Guimaraes why not go for Tonali? To me, besides beiing younger, they are more reliable, more assured and better players. And cheapar too.
I can see Arteta buying Mavropanos, knowing he would want to start every match
Put like that Kev, maybe not so weird.
Mavropanos returning reminds me of the return of Martin Keown, well sort of…
As short term cover for Saliba maybe it’s cost effective, he certain seems better than Ezri Konsa 🤦♂️
The mavropanos rumours are strange imo.
I’ve seen in a few places that Arsenal might be interested in signing Mavropanos from West ham. A little surprising,although he’s a better player now than the first time.
Mikel Merino,what a player,and basically getting some warm weather training ..and scoring some crucial world Cup goals.
Super sub and long may that remain. Being sub I mean..
Morning guys..
He’s done it again , He’s done it again , Mikel Merino . He’s done it again
Mike Merino does it again! He scored the winner in Spain’s 2 – 1 victory over Belgium.
Good morning all.
He’s the golden boy right now though. Personally, I think he’s no better than a lot of other wingers in the game. 😜
Dont know anything about Upson’s son Kev, is he a defender? The Greek guys name does keep popping up. I wonder if Bruno is a red herring..
I reckon we’ll sign the Greek winger Rico and a central midfielder and possibly another Mosquera type defender but after that I’m not sure. I hope we get Upson’s son…
Does Yamal do anything without complaining when he gets defendedagainst
Newcastle eyeing a move for Danilo to replace Bruno if he leaves. Danilo is 25, so why don’t we go for him instead? Is he any good. 😜
Ha ha Kev, how many do you reckon we’ll sign, not counting Meslier? My guess is three..
Yeah Rico, we’re loaded, we’ll soon blow them all away… 😄
We’ll catch up Kev. Lol
So far, the Premier League big spenders are:
Newcastle………£84.6m
Liverpool……….£89.5m
Chelsea………..£108.6m
Man City…….…£140.6m
Tottenham……..£229.3m
Morning Geoff, Newcastle are quite active in transfers so they might be already planning for Bruno to leave.
They are Kev.
These big bugs are a bloody menace…
Morning Rico and all.
Argentina will win as a gift from FIFA to say farewell to Messi.
If Newcastle are smart, they should sell quickly so they can get his replacement, unless they already have one lined up.
Air con is certainly the quickest way for bigs (bugs) to spread..
Ideally, we won’t see any of the three until late August or early September. They were on their last legs before the WC.
😂 Cicero, it should.
I saw a report this morning saying Rice,Saka and Saliba (didn’t mention Odegaard) will all be given extended rest and miss the first few weeks of the season.
Makes sense and no surprise,we want them fit and available for March/April/May 2027.
Makes new signings more important,maybe the likes of Ethan and Mikel Merino too.
As apparently has Norway , theyvare blaming playing in Air conditioned Stadiums and the constant flying
Should that be a bug in the camp, Rico? 😉
Morning all.
Lucky you Kev, I wish I hadn’t bothered.
One can only hope Potter.
Apparently England have a big in the camp and Rice has been kept away from the others. True or not, who knows.
Mbappe ended up with an ice pack on his right ankle , who knows it might upset their
applecart. As for Quansa , possibly they feel that Argentina have a better chance of beating Norway , although I am not sure despite their influence on getting Messi there.Good morning all.
Saka has said that he is ready to start against Norway. He has been steadily building his fitness and is ready to go.
As yet there has been no reason given by Fifa why Quansa has been banned for two matches rather then the statutory one.
I didn’t see the French beat Morocco but I heard that they enjoyed some favourable decisions from the appalling WC officials, who would have guessed eh?
I agree Rico, the corrupt FIFA have decided that France will face Argentina in the final, you know Messi vs Mbappe 🥱
Hopefully Spain v Belgium will be better tomorrow.
What a boring first half…
Hi Maasai, France or Argentina is my guess. I’d love England to win it of course but I think the officials will ultimately play a part in who lifts the big trophy.
Thanks Kev, makes sense to me re Ethan although the prices of English players today, we should be looking at a big fee for him. Hes too good to let go cheaply. If Madueke was worth £50m, then Ethan has be more than than imo.
Apparently he’ll be third choice Cicero with Porter going out on loan. I think Kepa is off in search of a no1 spot.
Ero Rico, ‘tsup mate? Hope you having a nice WC watch which is the envy of pastoralists who stay up late into the wee hours of the night and early mornings to watch matches and it’s kind of a takes its toll during the day. Switzerland are my dark horse and fingers crossed they win the WC. I have my wager on them defying the odds. Who do y’all got?.
I agree Rico, I’d use Nwaneri in those opening weeks up until August 31st, to see what business we might do and what offers we might get, because we could still sell him if the right opportunities arise or he could show, as Myles did, that he is too good to lose and that our transfer business can pivot accordingly to bring him back into the fold…
Bruno would in my opinion, be a great signing, he would settle in immediately and soon become a regular starter allowing Declan time to recuperate and gradually reintegrate himself without the need to flog him, it would allow Arteta the options he needs to rotate Myles and Zubi, keeping both of them fresh and the level elite during those hectic months up until Christmas and the NewYear, that’s where you build the foundations of any success you enjoy post New Year.
Afternoon Gooners, nice post Rico, the fact that Arteta was willing to listen to his players and act on it shows a maturity in his management style, all the best managers listen to their staff/players, not slavishly but they have the confidence in their position to pivot if what is suggested makes sense. Eze isn’t a ranted or raver and that shows the respect the manager has for his players and they have for him…
Could that mean Kepa is on his way out?
Illan Meslier is officially an Arsenal player.
Tonali is younger though, Bruno is 29 later this year I think.
Afternoon Cicero, Limey.
ill believe the Bruno rumours when he’s signed. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a different midfielder through the door..
G’day Rico and all.
I have my doubts about Bruno, not so much concerning his footballing credentials but about the actual transfer. He says he wants to join Arsenal but will not try to force his way out of Newcastle, as Isak did, because he likes and respects the club.
It has also been reported that some agents not attached to either club, or to Bruno himself, have been trying to manufacture a transfer in order to cash in on the deal.
There may or not have been a verbal agreement on a transfer fee, although if there has been it is unlikely to have been acceptable to Newcastle.
Morning Rico/all
I think Guimaraes is one of the few who would improve the team, never mind the squad. It’s not automatic because he wants to go he does. It normally does though,even though I think the situation is different to Isak,they have already sold Tonali,a good player but £100m ? Means they can afford to play hardball with us,and hope to drive the price up.
Totally agree Potter.
Could be an important first couple of months for Mosquera as he’s likely to be the player who steps in for Saliba. Salmon at right back is a possibility if Timber doesn’t recover.
Zubimendi, MLS and Merino could have a busy month or two as well. The right wing options are a worry the longer England stay in the WC so yes, Ethan staying is important I think.
At the centre of the revamp is Spanish physio Joaquin Acedo, a long-term Arteta associate who was brought in during the final months of last season to investigate Arsenal’s processes around player fitness and injuries. He was on the team’s title parade bus, and is fully integrated and part of the staff for next season.
Daily Mail Sport understands that the pair’s relationship goes back to Arteta’s playing days at Real Sociedad in the 2004-05 season. An injured Arteta came across Acedo’s radar when the physiotherapist was working at Cadiz and treated him. Acedo subsequently looked after his fellow Spaniard when he moved to Everton and supported him throughout his playing career. It’s a bond that has spanned two decades, a professional relationship developed into a friendship built on years of collaboration and trust.
The arrival of Aced kickstarted the new-look medical team at Arsenal, with head of sports medicine Dr Zafar Iqbal the first big departure. It took insiders by surprise, the news announced just days after Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat against Paris Saint-Germain. Iqbal previously worked for Liverpool and Crystal Palace, before joining the north London club in 2024.
Tom Allen, head of sports science, followed soon after. Allen had joined the Gunners from Aston Villa in 2017 as a sports scientist before being promoted by Arteta in 2022. Sam Wilson, lead physical performance coach, is the latest to leave. Wilson initially worked with the academy sides after joining in 2014, and was elevated to the first team five years later. He is moving to Parma, reuniting with Carlos Cuesta who left Arteta’s coaching staff last summer to take the top job at the Serie A side.
Although not all the departures have been sackings this summer — some have left on their own accord — the goal has been simple: approach revamping the medical department in the same manner of the playing squad.
When the likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Mohamed Elneny and Gabriel Jesus were deemed surplus to requirements, they were either benched or sold. A similar pattern is now occurring with the medical staff over the summer.
The various vacancies are already nearly filled. Arsenal are set to bring in Dr Arnaldo Abrantes from Aston Villa. Abrantes previously spent three years at Nottingham Forest from August 2020 to 2023, following a sprinting career that saw him qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. He will join ex-Villa colleague physiotherapist Carmen Marquez, who moved to Arsenal earlier in the year.
It’s understood that Villa’s injury record under former Gunners boss Unai Emery was noticed internally at Arsenal and is a factor in targeting the pair. In the last two seasons across all competitions, the Midlands club have the best injury record of all English clubs competing in European competitions in terms of matches missed due to injuries.
Rehab specialist Eneko Angulo is leaving Real Betis after 12 years to join the Gunners, while Braga fitness coach Antonio Gomes and 29-year-old physical trainer Jose Jimenez from Bayer Leverkusen are also expected to join. Jimenez was at Cadiz before joining Leverkusen in October.
The mass changes signal a strong pivot towards a fresh approach, but won’t be a sudden magic bullet, though. Far from it. Arteta’s training plans are known to be taxing. He believes that resilience — physical and mental — is forged in struggle.
That reached boiling point last season. Days after Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth in April, a number of senior players gathered to discuss the cumulative toll on their bodies. They felt on the brink, with Arteta looking to up the ante after the loss. Eberechi Eze, one of the more genteel members of the group, had chosen to relay those concerns to Arteta, asking if the players could be afforded more space.
Subsequently, days off were increased and the intensity of sessions dialled down a notch – and it paid off. Arteta’s willingness to ease off showed there was already an acceptance that something had to change. So, the medical staff will have their hands full balancing these demands against the need to rest players.
The message is clear. With a wholesale overhaul behind the scenes, Arsenal hope fewer days in the treatment room will prove just as important as any signing in their bid to retain the Premier League title.
Guimaraes might not be everyone’s purchase of chioce but we have to accept that the world cup is likely to keep Rice out of the team for an extended period or we risk losing him completely.
The same goes for Saka and for that matter Saliba .
In Saka’s case it gives the reason to keep Nwaneri in the squad as the jury on Madueke is out certainly by the average fan if not by people who apparently see something different in him.
Going back over the years of Arsenal wingers , he is no Armstrong , Limpar, Pires, more like Skirton, Carter or even Marinello or Helder . All players that came with fanfares but mainly failed to deliver.
Saliba is one half of the rock that is the backbone of Arteta’s defensive stability and shoring that up is our first priority..
We might all want to see nice shiny new attacking players up front , but you have to keep the door shut behind them.