ARSENAL have been tracking summer target Bruno Guimaraes for SIX YEARS.
The Gunners have during the current transfer window and he is one of several players being tracked.
Arsenal have been tracking Bruno Guimaraes for the last six years Credit: PA
The Gunners first scouted Guimaraes in Brazil back in 2020 and he is now a major target again Credit: Getty
Arsenal’s sporting director, Andrea Berta, is leading the pursuit – but the club’s interest in Guimaraes dates all the way back to 2020.
They were scouting the star back then when he was playing in his homeland for Athletico Paranaense.
Arsenal’s previous sporting director, Edu, was behind that, however was a fan of the player, too.
The club continued to watch Guimaraes when he made the switch to , but opted against fighting Newcastle for his signature when the midfielder moved to St. James’ Park in 2022.
finally landing the Brazilian now would end a six-year pursuit, but it will be a hard deal to pull off.
Newcastle are determined to keep hold of their captain and have no desire to let him leave.
And the Magpies’ resolve to keep Guimaraes out of Arsenal’s hands will surely strengthen as Tonali closes in on a move to Spurs.
Arsenal’s rivals have agreed a deal for the Italian that is worth £100million and he is in London to seal the move.
Newcastle would be loath to lose Guimaraes and Tonali in the same window, especially given winger has also joined for £70m.
Arsenal, though, clearly have some optimism that a deal could be done as they work on bolstering their midfield ranks ahead of the new season.
SPANISH INVASION
GIRONA officials have had to DOUBLE Arsenal’s allocation for their pre-season friendly.
Gunners supporters sold out their measly 306-seat allocation at the Montilivi Stadium in a little over an hour, forcing Girona to assign two additional blocks for the travelling fans.
Pre-season friendlies are not usually oversubscribed, but with Arsenal having a low-key pre-season this summer, Arsenal fans are desperate to see their title-winning heroes on the road.
Arsenal’s allocation for their pre-season friendly at Girona has been doubled amid high demand Credit: Reuters
Arsenal kick off their pre-season preparations against Girona on August 1, before taking on in Dublin on August 5.
Mikel Arteta’s men will then face in the Emirates Cup on August 9 followed by a friendly against Cesc Fabregas’ Como on August 12
Arsenal will conclude their pre-season against in in the on August 16, just five days before they begin their Premier League campaign against Frank Lampard’s newly-promoted Coventry City side.
SHIVER ME TIMBER
THE Dutch World Cup camp were left frustrated with Arsenal for playing Jurrien Timber in the final.
Timber, 25, was forced to withdraw from the squad just days before the tournament began.
His withdrawal came after he made a 50-minute substitute cameo for Arsenal against , despite spending the 10 weeks prior to the final sidelined with a groin injury.
Upon Timber’s arrival to Holland’s World Cup camp, the Dutch FA claimed he had “not recovered sufficiently” and that he could not participate in the tournament in a “medically responsible manner.”
Holland’s camp aren’t happy with Arsenal after Jurrien Timber played the Champions league final Credit: Getty
Timber is considered one of the Dutch’s most important players and members of the camp are extremely frustrated that Arsenal used him in the Champions League final given his ongoing recovery from injury.
Ronald Koeman’s side bowed out in the last 32, losing on penalties to after advancing to the knockouts as Group F winners.
Timber, who was replaced in the squad by Sunderland defender Lutsharel Geertruida, was left “heartbroken” himself at having to pull out of the Stateside tournament.
He said in a statement: “Heartbroken to miss the World Cup.
“Representing my country on the biggest stage is something I’ve always dreamed of, and it’s difficult to accept that injury has taken that opportunity away from me.
“While this isn’t the path I had hoped for, I trust that God has a plan greater than the one I can see right now.”
ALL GUNS BLAZING
ARSENAL have had plenty of change behind the scenes at the club this summer.
The medical department is undergoing the biggest upheaval, but the recruitment team is also being worked on.
Javier Alonso is set to join the Gunners after spending time working as Granada’s sporting director.
And Arsenal are looking to make another addition by hiring a new positional analyst to their Football Intelligence team.
The person picked for the role will be involved in identifying, assessing and monitoring emerging and current talent across the world.
Arsenal are set to make a host of changes behind the scenes this summer Credit: Getty
They will analyse a dedicated position and must scour the globe in search of top talent.
The Football Intelligence team has been run at Arsenal by Mark Curtis since last summer.
Curtis was previously the club’s head of recruitment, but he has been with the Gunners for more than a decade, having first joined them as an academy analyst.
Arsenal use data and analytics as a key part of their recruitment under current sporting director Berta.
The Football Intelligence team brings together scouting, analysis and data to support talent identification and Arsenal developing their own players.
RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
ARSENAL staff will get Michelin-level training after Legends Global came on board as the new caterers of the Emirates Stadium.
SunSport previously revealed in the Arsenal Files that Legends Global would be taking over the catering contract from Delaware North, who had it for 20 years.
Legends Global will now deliver all matchday and non-matchday food and beverage operations, as well as the hospitality experiences.
They have promised to bring in an “enhanced menu” across the stadium’s concourses, while a “complete reimagination” of premium hospitality experiences is taking place, too.
Legends Global have vowed to be “local-first” with the new food on offer and menus will reflect “North London’s diverse food scene”.
The company is also investing in the training of the hospitality teams working at the Emirates.
And, as part of this, leaders from Arsenal’s front and back-of-house operations will join Legends Global’s culinary teams for Michelin-level training.
The aim is to raise the level of service at the stadium while the hospitality experiences are revamped.
Arsenal already has an established partnership with Michelin-Star Chef Raymond Blanc for their hospitality packages on offer to punters and that will be built on.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
ARSENAL WOMEN are looking to hire a new first-team physio this summer.
The club are also working to bring in a strength and conditioning coach, on a part-time basis, for the women’s academy.
There has been plenty of change in the medical department of the men’s team at Arsenal over the summer.
SunSport has previously reported how two new faces, including former Olympic sprinter Arnaldo Abrantes, are coming on board.
Less change is taking place on the women’s side, but the search for a new physio will bolster their ranks.
The new hire will work alongside the performance physio for the women’s team, as well as the female health physio and the rehabilitation specialist.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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