Arsenal are facing the increasing pressure from supporters on their transfer failings this summer with scrutiny over the move for Bruno Guimaraes the next in line
06:00, 21 Jul 2026
It has been a difficult week for Arsenal in the transfer market, and the blow of losing out on Morgan Rogers has changed the landscape significantly. Before, it was just the waiting, the classic doomscrolling for fans desperate to hear anything positive about a bid or a move for a player.
I often like to use the iceberg analogy when it comes to transfers. On the whole, supporters only get to see what is poking out above the surface, journalists and those with contacts in the footballing space get to dip their head under the water and peek at what lies just below.
But the reality is that, unless your name, in the case of Arsenal, is Andrea Berta, that huge submerged iceberg remains a mystery with plenty of unknowns, leaving room for speculation and spiralling opinions. Which more often than not is regurgitated out on a social media platform, probably X, creating yet more exponential doom.
FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! Latest Gunners news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page
I myself am guilty of it. Saturday, as news broke regarding the £117million deal between Chelsea and Aston Villa for Morgan Rogers sparked many a post of frustrations that were both shared by many and disagreed with either for being too lenient or too harsh – the joys of the internet.
There is still worry in me. I think we’re at a point in the window where, having become Premier League champions, the club should have secured a big move or be close to one.
The reality is right now, they’re not. Transfers can and do move very quickly, and this time next week or maybe even tomorrow, something dramatic has happened, but as of my understanding, that’s not the case.
The player that Arsenal, I feel, cannot slip up on now is Bruno Guimaraes. The clubs remain apart on valuation, but the Gunners have the knowledge that the Brazilian is keen on the move and has voiced that to the Magpies.
Newcastle insist Guimaraes is not for sale and that it will take a considerable bid to get him out of the North East and to North London instead. It leaves questions of why Arsenal haven’t been more progressive in their move.
The understanding is that intermediaries between the clubs have been working behind the scenes, with a lack of direct contact from Arsenal to Newcastle on the matter. If there is a game being played, after the deals for Jeremy Monga and now Morgan Rogers have gotten away from the Gunners, it is a game of patience being tested for many.
The market is mad, there’s no denying that. Clubs are overpaying.
Rogers is not a £117million player, Sandro Tonali is not a £100million player, and Elliot Anderson is not a £116million player. But, if that is the market, Arsenal might just have to throw caution to the wind somewhat.
“When you win something, the sun's still going to come up the next day,” Josh Kroenke said during a sit-down we had with reporters after winning the league. “You’ve got to get back to work, and there are many teams trying to gain on you, including some historically great ones around the Premier League. “I think I can think back and say that our stated goal was winning the Premier League. So, we're going to look to strengthen because we know that teams around us are going to get better. If you're not trying to continually evolve and improve, you're standing still.”
At the moment, Arsenal are effectively where they were before. Which, to be fair, is a pretty rosy place as league winners.
But, their rivals are not sitting still at all and as Josh predicted, they are moving. Arsenal need to move otherwise the goodwill from nearly two months ago, no matter how mad it might be, will fade.
Article continues below