^ ^ Jamie Carragher tips Mikel Arteta to sell Arsenal star after £75m Bruno Guimaraes transfer

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher (Picture: Sky Sports)

Jamie Carragher believes Arsenal’s imminent £75m deal for Bruno Guimaraes will spell ‘the end’ for current midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

The Premier League champions are set to sign Brazil’s Guimaraes from Newcastle United after a lengthy transfer saga.

After weeks of negotiations, Arsenal are finally close to agreeing a deal with Newcastle and will pay £75m to bring the 28-year-old to north London.

Mikel Arteta sanctioned a big-money move for Guimaraes as he looks to bolster an Arsenal squad that clinched the Premier League title last season.

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Guimaraes will strengthen an Arsenal midfield which already includes Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Zubimendi.

Carragher has some doubts over Arsenal’s move for Guimaraes, insisting he was always more of a fan of his former Newcastle teammate Sandro Tonali, who has joined Tottenham in a deal worth £85m.

The Liverpool legend and former England defender has also suggested Guimaraes’ move to the Emirates Stadium will force Zubimendi out of the club.

Arsenal are set to sign Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle (Picture: Getty)

Zubimendi made a bright start to his Arsenal career following last summer’s £60m move from Real Sociedad but lost his place in the team towards the end of the season.

Asked about Arsenal’s pursuit of Guimaraes, Carragher said on the Football Ramble podcast: ‘I think it’s interesting because when I look at what Arsenal are trying to do this summer, I think it’s a case of “we’re going to win the league again and we’re going to go for the Champions League”. It looks very much like they’re trying to dominate.

‘Bruno almost feels like the No. 1 for Newcastle fans when you think of all the signings Eddie Howe brought in. It felt like he was the one that really pulled on the heartstrings of Newcastle fans.

Current Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi (Picture: Getty)

‘I was almost more of a Tonali man than Bruno, I thought he had more pace about him and could get around the pitch.

‘I would look at Bruno and not be quite sure, I thought he was a good player but I thought, can he run? He would get fouled a lot and slowed down the game a lot.

‘He does get important goals though and he’s a good player. It will be interesting to see how Mikel Arteta uses that midfield now.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta (Picture: Shutterstock)

‘Will Bruno play more of a holding role, does Declan Rice still play that box-to-box role? I’m still not 100% convinced what role Rice is better in.’

Carragher added: ‘Do you think it’s the end for Zubimendi there? In terms of being what he was supposed to be when he was brought in.

‘He was supposed to come in and be this controller. I don’t see him ever getting that place back now.’

While Carragher is not totally convinced about Arsenal’s move for Guimaraes, Premier League icon Claude Makelele believes he will fit in ‘perfectly’.

‘Bruno Guimaraes is an ambitious player who sees his career one way: Champions League football, always, and teams built to win titles in Europe,’ the Chelsea legend told ComeOn.

‘Arsenal tick every box. They won the Premier League, they’ve gone deep in the Champions League, and they’re built to go again. It’s always right for a good player to join a great team, and Arsenal have done great business.

‘Bruno Guimaraes is a very good player, exceptional, as we saw with Brazil. It’s his career and his decision, but his game fits Arsenal perfectly.’

Arsenal kick-start their Premier League title defence on August 21 against newly-promoted Coventry City.

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^ ^ Paul Ince slams ‘baffling’ Man Utd signing and makes Marcus Rashford claim

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Ince (Picture: Sky Sports)

Paul Ince has questioned Manchester United’s signing of Andrey Santos, insisting he was ‘baffled’ to see the midfielder join from Chelsea.

Santos completed a £48m move to Old Trafford last month after emerging as a midfield target for United boss Michael Carrick.

Carrick instructed Manchester United to sign at least two midfielders this summer after Casemiro’s departure and Manuel Ugarte’s serious injury.

Ince is excited about Youri Tielemans’ arrival from Aston Villa but says he was left ‘baffled’ by the signing of Santos, who made 43 appearances for Chelsea last season.

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‘I think when you look at what Manchester United are trying to do, they obviously need to strengthen in that area,’ Ince told Oddschecker.

‘They’ve signed the lad Santos from Chelsea for almost £50m, which is a lot of money for someone like him. I think the jury’s still out on that one.

‘To spend that much on a young central midfield player when you’ve got someone like Kobbie Mainoo coming through the ranks baffled me a bit.

Manchester United summer signing Andrey Santos (Picture: Getty)

‘Obviously Tielemans I think is a fantastic player. He’s more of a [Bruno] Fernandes type of player, but a very good player.

‘The midfield needed to be strengthened but I think Mainoo can definitely play that role. He’s got a really good head on his shoulders. He’s young, he’s got legs, he can keep hold of the ball.

‘Whenever I watch him he does things easily and he looked like a completely different player towards the back-end of last season.

Old Trafford boss Michael Carrick (Picture: Getty)

‘If he can repeat that form this season it would be great for Manchester United. But they’ve got plenty of options in there now so it will be interesting to see which way Michael Carrick goes.’

Ince has also urged Manchester United to keep Marcus Rashford at the club after Barcelona opted not to sign him on a permanent deal.

United are currently trying to get Rashford off the books but Ince believes Carrick can ‘get the best out’ of the England winger.

Marcus Rashford hoped to stay at Barcelona (Picture: Getty)

‘I feel for Rashford, I really do, because I think he’s a fantastic player. He can play off the left and he can play off the right,’ Ince added.

‘I’m not sure if many people watched him last year playing for Barcelona but he was scoring goals, he was enjoying himself, and he looked a completely different player.

‘Then when you think Barcelona are going to sign him they get Anthony Gordon and it kills Rashford. You saw in the World Cup the magic he can bring, he’s got that talent.

‘I just think Michael Carrick can get the best out of him, I really, really do. I think if you just put your arm around Rashford then you’re going to see a very, very good player.

‘Fingers crossed that’s the case. But there’s one thing for sure, he is a very, very talented player and if he’s happy, he will perform for you.’

Carrick guided Manchester United to a third-place finish in the Premier League last season and Champions League qualification.

The Red Devils kick-start their 2026-27 Premier League campaign on August 22 against newly-promoted Hull City.

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^ ^ Arsenal plan third major signing after Vinicius Junior and Bruno Guimaraes

Arsenal are ready to back Mikel Arteta in the transfer market (Picture: Shutterstock)

Arsenal are ‘focussed’ on making a third major signing after Vinicius Junior and Bruno Guimaraes, according to reports.

The Premier League champions are working hard on deals for Real Madrid forward Vinicius and Newcastle United midfielder Guimaraes.

Arsenal won their first Premier League title since 2004 last season but Arteta feels reinforcements are needed to keep the Gunners on top.

Arteta has so far welcomed Christos Tzolis and Illan Meslier to his squad at the Emirates Stadium, while Arsenal have activated a clause to sign Piero Hincapie on a permanent transfer.

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More deals could soon be completed with Arsenal closing in on Guimaraes and doing everything they can to lure fellow Brazilian Vinicius to north London.

The Gunners have already scheduled a medical for Guimaraes after reportedly reaching an agreement with Newcastle to sign the 28-year-old.

Guimaraes will bolster an Arsenal midfield which also includes the likes of Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Arsenal want to sign Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal are also hoping to take advantage of the contract uncertainty surrounding two-time Champions League winner Vinicius.

The Brazil icon is in a contract dispute with Real Madrid and therefore could be sold as he enters the final year of his deal with the La Liga giants.

Arsenal’s board has already approved a move for Vinicius, with Arteta reportedly contacting the player in a bid to convince him to move to the English champions.

Arsenal are closing in on a deal for Bruno Guimaraes (Picture: Getty)

While Arsenal pursue Vinicius and Guimaraes, they are also ‘focussed’ on signing another central defender to cover for the injured William Saliba, according to The Athletic.

Saliba helped France reach the semi-finals of the World Cup but aggravated a back injury in the process and will now be out for an ‘extended period’, Arsenal have said.

‘William Saliba has returned to us from World Cup duty, where he played an integral role in France reaching the semi-finals of the competition,’ the club said in a statement.

William Saliba injured his back at the World Cup (Picture: Getty)

‘Subsequent specialist reviews on William’s return to London this week have confirmed that he has suffered a back injury which will require a period of rehabilitation.

‘Extensive assessments have concluded that surgery is not recommended, but William should now commence a managed recovery programme.

‘William’s rehabilitation will commence immediately, with continual management of his injury, and he is expected to be out of action for an extended period.

‘Everyone is fully focused on supporting William to ensure he is back to full fitness as soon as possible.’

Since Saliba’s injury diagnosis, Arsenal have been linked with moves for England World Cup stars John Stones and Ezri Konsa.

Stones, however, has joined Inter Milan after ending his decade-long association with Manchester City, where he won six Premier League titles.

Konsa is still available to Arsenal and is believed to be interested in joining Arteta’s title winners after seven seasons at Aston Villa.

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