Arsenal would love to sign Bruno Guimaraes this summer.
The Brazilian has told Newcastle he wants to leave for the Emirates, and broad personal terms are in place.
But Unai Emery may have just thrown a spanner in the works.
Aston Villa have hijacked Newcastle’s move for Johan Manzambi, swooping in after a club-to-club agreement had already been reached with Freiburg.
The 20-year-old Swiss midfielder impressed during Switzerland’s run to the World Cup quarter-finals, scoring three goals across the tournament.
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Newcastle had travelled to Germany to close the deal, but now he looks set to move to Villa.
Johan Manzambi’s move to Aston Villa could be a problem for Arsenal
Bringing in Manzambi would have softened the blow for Newcastle of losing Bruno Guimaraes considerably.
A dynamic, versatile midfielder capable of operating in multiple positions, he was exactly the kind of player Newcastle could have pointed to as a credible replacement.
But having already lost Sandro Tonali to Tottenham and Anthony Gordon to Barcelona this summer, the optics of selling Guimaraes as well, without a convincing replacement lined up, are extremely hard to justify.
Newcastle may simply decide the risk is not worth taking, and that would be a huge blow for Arsenal.
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The Gunners have already passed up on several alternatives, including Spurs’ double signing of Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.
And now Youri Tielemans, whose £36million deal to Manchester United looks great value in this market, is also unavailable — a player Arteta was known to admire having been linked back in 2022.
There may be a silver lining in the Johan Manzambi move for Arsenal
There is one potential upside to the Manzambi situation.
Villa signing a midfielder who can operate in similar positions to Morgan Rogers may well suggest they are preparing for his departure.
Rogers has been Arsenal’s primary attacking target all summer, but Villa’s £130million valuation has been a stumbling block.
If Manzambi is being brought in as his replacement, Villa may now be bracing for a formal approach from the Premier League champions.
Leandro Trossard is already heading to Besiktas, and Gabriel Martinelli’s future is still up in the air. Arsenal need attacking reinforcements.
If the Manzambi deal accelerates Rogers’ exit from Villa Park, it could be the unlikely catalyst that finally gets Arsenal’s summer moving in the right direction.
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