Bruno Guimaraes continued his fine form for Newcastle on Saturday with an assist and a wonderful goal against Norwich City. It was the latest performance to perhaps trigger a hint of regret among the Arsenal board given the Gunners had monitored the midfielder for a number of years.
Ultimately, Mikel Arteta and Edu employed a cautious approach in the January transfer window, perhaps wary of overspending on players that could underwhelm. However, in this instance, it did not pay off. Instead, Newcastle paid the £40 million necessary to sign Guimaraes from Lyon and his impact has been immediate.
In his opening 13 Premier League appearances he has found the net four times and provided one assist. Given Arteta's continued desire to bolster the Arsenal midfield, many of the Emirates faithful have been left looking on with envy at St. James's Park.
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There are far more experienced operators in their respective roles than Edu and Arteta in the Premier League and the duo will undoubtedly adapt to the rigours of the transfer market with each one that passes. They have even been handed a slither advice from the agent of Guimaraes, who revealed that Newcastle ultimately won the race for his client because of their strong interest and the need for players to impress ahead of the World Cup.
“There was contact from Juventus,” Alexis Malavolta confirmed to Tutto Juve. “The month of January, however, is a short window to enter into negotiations, we couldn't go too long. We had to wait until the middle of the month to see any concrete movements.
“Newcastle arrived, and they got serious. Bruno couldn't wait another six months to decide his future in a World Cup year."
While the Arsenal board may be kicking themselves after missing out on Guimaraes, they may now have a clearer idea of how to approach deals in the summer. The Gunners will need to be strong in their approach and be willing to make promises regarding playing time ahead of the World Cup when necessary.
