Guimarães deal agreed? Arsenal and Ireland back together.

Morning all.

Pre-season fixture number three takes place tonight as Arsenal face Real Betis is Ireland. Watching on will no doubt be Arsenal’s youngster Victor Ozhianvuna who signed for us this time last year. He cannot make the physical move until he turns 18 years old in January but the record fee Arsenal paid for the young Irish international will be worth every penny according to his current Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley who himself was a graduate of Arsenal’s academy.

Talking to The Athletic, Bradley said:

I genuinely believe Victor is a special talent. He has so many good attributes. His athletic ability is at a really high level. The game is so quick and dynamic now, and Victor has that level of movement. He’s got a Russian mum and a Nigerian dad, but he was born in Ireland — he’s got a great mix. He’s got the mentality we value here, alongside outstanding athleticism, technical quality and very good decision-making.

I remember watching Myles Lewis-Skelly in Arsenal’s academy. What stood out wasn’t just his physique, it was his ability to break lines by carrying the ball or playing penetrating passes. That’s become a defining part of his game. Victor has that same ability. He can break lines from a standing start and eliminate opponents. As football continues to evolve, players who can create those advantages are going to become incredibly valuable. I think Victor has that ability and I am convinced he’s going to be really special.

Something I didn’t know but do now thanks to the article in The Athletic is that Arsenal have a Belfast-based development centre to help recruit the best of Northern Irish talent, bringing them over as scholars at 16. Players like current academy player Ceadach O’Neill, who was part of the squad which played Girona last Saturday. At just 18 years old, he’s already been capped twice by the senior Northern Ireland team.

These words from Bradley are special I think:

When we met the people from Arsenal, it felt like they’d rediscovered that touch of class. They understood what Arsenal is, they understood people, and they wanted to rebuild that Irish connection. It made it very easy for us to sit down with Victor and his parents and tell them he was going to a special football club.

I think that’s part of the reason we as a club are disliked by so many because we do tend to do this the right way. This summer alone we wouldn’t be drawn into paying over the top transfer fees for the likes of Rogers. Arsenal aren’t afraid of spending big money in my opinion but I think they want value for money and most of the time, that’s exactly what the club gets. Have Arsenal made mistakes in the transfer window? Yes, I think they have but what club hasn’t? In any case, what one person sees in a player, another can see him differently.

I do like the idea of recruiting the best of Ireland though, the country has served us well in the past and I hope it does again in the future and it sounds like it might.

I’m looking forward to tonight’s game especially as I missed the previous one thanks to Arsenal.com crashing. Real Betis finished 5th in La Liga last season so they will be a good test for us. With only 16 days to go until we kick the new campaign off against Coventry, a stronger opposition is exactly what we need.

Bruno Guimarães is exactly what Arsenal need too and according to David Ornstein, that deal is expected to be concluded very soon. A £75m deal is expected to be sanctioned by Newcastle although he doesn’t say when. Sky Sports have gone a step further as they report the deal has been agreed and Guimarães has been given permission to travel to Arsenal for his medical. Until Arsenal announce the deal, I’m not taking anything for granted although I am a tad excited. lol

Enjoy the game guys later, catch up in the comments.