Mikel Arteta is adamant that former Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes has not suffered a serious injury.
Bruno Guimaraes could face up to a month on the sidelines after suffering a groin injury.
Newcastle United supporters will spare no sympathy after the Brazilian jumped ship earlier this month. Guimaraes pushed for a move to Arsenal - finally getting the deal over the line a fortnight ago.
Toon chiefs - who did not want to sell the former captain - fetched in £75million from the Premier League champions. Reaction to Guimaraes’ exit was mixed, with many believing he deserted Newcastle in their hour of need.
Other fans understood the decision to leave after four-and-a-half years at St James’ Park. Ultimately, the midfielder will learn whether his Toon legacy remains intact when he returns to Tyneside in November.
Bruno Guimaraes injury
News broke yesterday that Guimaraes would miss Arsenal’s opening-day win over Coventry with an injury. The 28-year-old rarely missed a game at Newcastle until a hamstring injury kept him sidelined for 14 fixtures last season.
NewcastleWorld understands that his current issue is a groin problem - and he will miss several weeks of the new Premier League season. Guimaraes was fit enough to cheer on his new club from the stands as Arsenal thrashed Coventry City 3-0 yesterday.
Speaking post-match, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta played down reports of a serious setback. He told reporters: "He had a slight tension in his groin. He hasn't done a pre-season. He had only four or five days before that game (Community Shield). It is a lot of new stuff for him as well, and we need to take it bit-by-bit."
‘Incredibly proud’ - Bruno Guimaraes
Guimaraes addressed Newcastle supporters in an emotional farewell - describing the decision to leave as “tough”. He said: "This is one of the toughest decisions of my life. When I arrived, the club was in a challenging position and I am incredibly proud of what we achieved together.
"I fell in love with this place. I really mean that. From my first day, the supporters, my teammates, Eddie and the staff, and everyone connected with the club made me and my family feel at home.
"I thank PIF, our chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and Jamie Reuben for everything they have done for me and for this football club. I also want to say thank you to David and Ross for the huge respect to me throughout this process. They did everything they could to keep me at Newcastle, and I am very grateful for our time together.
"This move is very tough because Newcastle means so much to me, but I wanted to experience something new in my life. I feel ready for a new challenge for myself and my family. I had a very positive conversation with Matthias Jaissle, and I leave knowing the club is in very good hands.
"To the supporters, thank you will never be enough, but I say it with all my heart. I will always be proud to have been part of this club's journey. Thank you for everything."
Arsenal nightmare as Bruno Guimaraes groin injury confirmed - Newcastle United laugh last
Arsenal nightmare as Bruno Guimaraes groin injury confirmed - Newcastle United laugh last