The arrival of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United could prove particularly important. Arsenal have paid around £75 million for the Brazilian, but his value goes beyond simply adding another elite midfielder to an already impressive group.
Arsenal will begin the 2026-27 Premier League season as champions for the first time in more than two decades, but Mikel Arteta‘s side may actually be stronger than the one that finally ended the club’s long wait for the title.
Guimaraes gives Arteta something Arsenal desperately needed during the closing months of last season: the ability to rotate Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi without substantially weakening the team.
Both Rice and Zubimendi looked exhausted towards the end of a demanding campaign, having carried an enormous workload across the Premier League and Europe. Arsenal got over the line, but repeating that schedule without greater midfield rotation would have been a considerable risk.
Guimaraes changes the equation.
The Brazilian can operate as the deepest midfielder, play alongside Rice, or push further forward when Arsenal want greater aggression around the opposition penalty area. His Premier League experience means there should be little adaptation required, while his ability to receive the ball under pressure could make him particularly suited to Arteta’s possession-based approach.
It also creates the intriguing possibility of Rice being given occasional weekends off rather than being required to start virtually every important match. Zubimendi can be managed in the same way. Arsenal now have three outstanding central midfielders who can be rotated according to opposition and fitness.
Defensively, there is a different concern.
William Saliba is expected to miss the opening weeks of the campaign with the back injury suffered during the World Cup, with a return unlikely before late September. Arsenal have consequently been exploring the market for additional centre-back cover, including a move for Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa, although Villa’s valuation has complicated negotiations.
Even without another arrival, Arsenal possess considerable defensive depth. Gabriel Magalhaes, Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White provide Arteta with numerous combinations, while Jurrien Timber will add further competition once fully fit. Saliba, however, remains one of the outstanding defenders in world football and finding a player capable of covering his absence without demanding a guaranteed starting position is not straightforward.
The bigger question now surrounds Arsenal’s attack.
Christos Tzolis has enjoyed an impressive pre-season following his £34 million arrival from Club Brugge and has made an immediate case for substantial playing time. The Greek international brings direct running and another goal threat from wide areas, but Arsenal have continued looking for an established elite attacker.
Vinicius Junior would have represented the ultimate statement signing. Arsenal explored the possibility of bringing the Brazilian superstar to London, but that avenue closed when he committed his future to Real Madrid. Attention has subsequently moved elsewhere, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola among the attacking players linked with a move to the Emirates.
Tzolis’ performances may reduce the urgency, but another top-class forward would leave remarkably few weaknesses in Arteta’s squad.
That matters because Arsenal’s rivals are strengthening too.
Manchester City look the most obvious threat. Their £116 million acquisition of England midfielder Elliot Anderson is an extraordinary investment and demonstrates that City’s ambitions have not diminished during their transition under Enzo Maresca. Further midfield changes could still follow before the transfer window closes.
Liverpool should also be taken seriously. Their squad contains enormous attacking quality, including Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, and a return to genuine title contention would hardly be surprising if their expensive collection of attacking players clicks consistently.
Chelsea may improve substantially under Xabi Alonso and have spent heavily again, but jumping from 10th to champions would still represent an enormous leap, despite the advantage of having no European football.
For Arsenal, the challenge has changed. They are no longer chasing Manchester City or attempting to prove they belong among England’s elite. They are the team everyone else must catch.
Guimaraes gives Arteta greater control over the workload of his most important midfielders, the defence remains exceptionally deep despite Saliba’s absence, and there could yet be another significant attacking addition before the window closes.
For the first time in years, Arsenal enter a Premier League season not merely dreaming of the title, but looking like the team best equipped to win it.
