Winners And Losers Of Arsenal's Move To Sign Bruno Guimaraes

Arsenal are expected to intensify their efforts to sign Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes in the coming days, as Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his midfield department ahead of the new Premier League season. The Gunners are yet to get going in the transfer market, with a permanent deal for Piero Hincapie and a move for back-up goalkeeper Illan Meslier the only deals that have developed thus far. However, with the World Cup now in its latter stages, sporting director Andrea Berta is expected to accelerate transfer proceedings in the coming weeks. An improved offer for Guimaraes, repeatedly called 'magnificent' by Alan Shearer in the past, is reportedly set to be lodged, although Newcastle are said to be holding out for upwards of £90million for their talisman. Whether the Gunners are willing to reach this figure remains to be seen, although the Brazilian's purported desire to swap the north-east for North London could see him agitate for a move - he's already made it clear he wants to join Arsenal - which would set the deal in motion. With that said, GIVEMESPORT has taken a look at the winners and losers of Guimaraes' prospective move to Arsenal. Winners from Arsenal Signing Bruno Guimaraes Declan Rice Arsenal were not able to give Declan Rice regular rests last season. The England international played well over 4,000 minutes across all competitions, and this has resulted in him reportedly playing through back and hamstring issues throughout the World Cup. The reason why Arteta likely felt this was unavoidable is that the Gunners cannot cope without Rice. The 27-year-old is essential to everything the North London outfit do in midfield, from their ball progression to their ability to prevent transitions to crashing the box and getting on the end of moves. With Guimaraes at the Spanish manager's disposal, he'd all of a sudden have a viable alternative to Rice who can do almost everything across every area of the pitch. This would give Rice some respite, allowing the Englishman to recover from his niggling injuries and be used more sporadically. Martin Odegaard Martin Odegaard has faced plenty of criticism over the past two seasons, with many Arsenal supporters frustrated by his reduced output in the final third. While he remains integral to the Gunners' build-up play and continues to set the tone with his pressing, a decline in goals and assists has inevitably affected how his performances are perceived. Guimaraes could ease some of that creative burden. The Newcastle captain registered nine goals and seven assists in all competitions last season, consistently making decisive contributions in advanced areas. Whether it's arriving late in the box, threading a killer pass or putting the finishing touch on a flowing move, Guimaraes has a habit of influencing matches where it matters most. Having another midfielder capable of producing those numbers would allow Odegaard to play more to his strengths. Rather than feeling the weight of having to provide the decisive moment in and around the penalty area, the Norwegian could focus on dictating play, linking attacks and leading Arsenal's press—qualities that remain central to his value to the team. Eberechi Eze If Guimaraes arrives in North London, he's likely to form a midfield trio with Rice and one of Odegaard or Eberechi Eze. Regardless of who the third man is, the advanced player is likely to benefit from Guimaraes' arrival, but for different reasons. While for Odegaard it's about reducing his need to impact the game in the final third, for Eze it's the opposite. The bulk of the criticism aimed at Eze last season was that he wasn't able to drop deep and progress the ball, while his pressing was often unsynchronised with the rest of the team. The former Crystal Palace man was largely playing instead of Odegaard, and the Arsenal captain's primary attributes were missed. However, Guimaraes is capable of taking the ball progression mantle when Odegaard isn't available, allowing Eze to focus on what he does best — making decisive contributions in the final third. In turn, Eze's output should improve, while he can be appreciated for the aspects of his game that make him so effective. Losers from Arsenal Signing Bruno Guimaraes Martin Zubimendi Arsenal signed Martin Zubimendi for in excess of £50million last summer to provide Rice with a new long-term midfield partner following the departures of Thomas Partey and Jorginho. Zubimendi excelled in the first half of last season, but struggled in the latter stages after being overburdened with minutes. It appears this underwhelming late form may have cost the Spaniard his status as the undisputed Rice partner in the middle of the park for the Gunners. Berta is moving aggressively to secure a new midfielder this summer, and a player of Guimaraes' pedigree wouldn't go to Arsenal to sit on the bench. While there wouldn't be a shortage of minutes for Zubimendi with the new man in the mix, his prominence would certainly take a hit. Myles Lewis-Skelly Myles Lewis-Skelly enjoyed a late resurgence in the Arsenal team last season, replacing the fatigued Zubimendi and seemingly rediscovering himself as a midfielder. He'd no doubt have believed this form would've done enough to convince Arteta to invest more time in him in this position moving forward. However, Guimaraes' potential arrival raises questions on this front. With the Brazil international, Rice and Zubimendi all on Arsenal's books, it's uncertain how many minutes will be made available for Lewis-Skelly to continue to adequately develop in this new role. This signing may even push the Hale End graduate out the door on a temporary basis. Mikel Merino Like Zubimendi and Lewis-Skelly, Mikel Merino's role in Arsenal's squad will be thrown into doubt by the potential acquisition of Guimaraes. After being unavailable in the back half of last season due to injury, the Spain international was already facing an uphill battle to re-establish himself in Arteta's squad. Again, due to the number of competitions Arsenal are in, there should be minutes to go around for all of these players. However, Merino's days as a key player at the Emirates would surely be numbered, with his profile no longer necessary in a squad that has everything you could ask for in a midfield department.