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Arsenal new singings 2026 Bruno Guimaraes Ezri Konsa | Premier League News Now
Bruno Guimarães missed Arsenal training on Tuesday ahead of Monday night’s trip to Aston Villa, according to transfer insider Franchise, in an update that casts fresh doubt over whether the £75 million summer signing will be available in time.
Training – Guimaraes ❌
Konsa ✅
— Franchise (@franchisexcl) August 25, 2026
The same update confirmed better news elsewhere, with Ezri Konsa taking part in the session. That is a straightforward positive for a defender whose move from Villa Park has been rumbling along for weeks, and it means Arsenal’s newest arrival is already integrating into the group properly.
Where the Bruno Guimarães injury actually stands
The Brazilian picked up a thigh strain during the Community Shield win over Manchester City, which ruled him out of Arsenal’s 3-0 victory over Coventry City on the opening weekend. There had been suggestions in the immediate aftermath that he could be sidelined for a sustained spell.
Mikel Arteta dismissed that firmly earlier in the week. “No, no, no. We expect that not to be weeks at all,” he said. “Let’s see how he evolves this week.” The manager also offered a revealing aside about the player’s mentality: “He didn’t even want to stop. He wanted to carry on. Now we start to understand the character of the player, but I don’t expect that to be a big issue.”
That framing still holds. Missing a single session does not contradict what Arteta said, and there is a real difference between managing a minor thigh problem carefully and a player being ruled out for weeks. But it does mean the Villa fixture is not the certainty it looked like when Arteta first spoke.
What Bruno Guimarães’ absence would mean for Arsenal at Villa Park
Arsenal have the depth to cope. Martín Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino all came through the opening weekend fine, and Myles Lewis-Skelly remains an option in the deeper roles. Martin Ødegaard continues to occupy the advanced midfield position after an excellent showing against City.
Still, this is not a signing Arsenal made to be a squad player. The £75 million paid to Newcastle reflects exactly how central Arteta expects him to be, and a trip to Aston Villa is precisely the sort of fixture where his ability to control tempo and break lines from deep would be most valuable.
Ezri Konsa’s Arsenal integration continues
Locked in & ready.
A proud moment to join this incredible club.
I’m here and hungry to help achieve everything @Arsenal ❤️ pic.twitter.com/kQoExVDqwl
— Ezri Konsa (@EzriKonsa) August 21, 2026
Konsa training is worth noting in its own right. He watched the Coventry win from the stands rather than the squad as his move was finalised, and being on the grass with his new teammates marks the next natural step.
With William Saliba a long-term absentee and Jurriën Timber still working his way back, Arsenal need defensive bodies quickly. Konsa being available for a Monday night away fixture, against the club he has just left, would be a significant boost regardless of whether he starts.