Jamie Carragher tips Mikel Arteta to sell Arsenal star after £75m Bruno Guimaraes transfer

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher (Picture: Sky Sports)

Jamie Carragher believes Arsenal ’s imminent £75m deal for Bruno Guimaraes will spell ‘the end’ for current midfielder Martin Zubimendi .

The Premier League champions are set to sign Brazil’s Guimaraes from Newcastle United after a lengthy transfer saga.

After weeks of negotiations, Arsenal are finally close to agreeing a deal with Newcastle and will pay £75m to bring the 28-year-old to north London.

Mikel Arteta sanctioned a big-money move for Guimaraes as he looks to bolster an Arsenal squad that clinched the Premier League title last season .

Guimaraes will strengthen an Arsenal midfield which already includes Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Zubimendi.

Carragher has some doubts over Arsenal’s move for Guimaraes, insisting he was always more of a fan of his former Newcastle teammate Sandro Tonali , who has joined Tottenham in a deal worth £85m .

The Liverpool legend and former England defender has also suggested Guimaraes’ move to the Emirates Stadium will force Zubimendi out of the club.

Arsenal are set to sign Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle (Picture: Getty)

Zubimendi made a bright start to his Arsenal career following last summer’s £60m move from Real Sociedad but lost his place in the team towards the end of the season.

Asked about Arsenal’s pursuit of Guimaraes, Carragher said on the Football Ramble podcast : ‘I think it’s interesting because when I look at what Arsenal are trying to do this summer, I think it’s a case of “we’re going to win the league again and we’re going to go for the Champions League”. It looks very much like they’re trying to dominate.

‘Bruno almost feels like the No. 1 for Newcastle fans when you think of all the signings Eddie Howe brought in. It felt like he was the one that really pulled on the heartstrings of Newcastle fans.

Current Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi (Picture: Getty)

‘I was almost more of a Tonali man than Bruno, I thought he had more pace about him and could get around the pitch.

‘I would look at Bruno and not be quite sure, I thought he was a good player but I thought, can he run? He would get fouled a lot and slowed down the game a lot.

‘He does get important goals though and he’s a good player. It will be interesting to see how Mikel Arteta uses that midfield now.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta (Picture: Shutterstock)

‘Will Bruno play more of a holding role, does Declan Rice still play that box-to-box role? I’m still not 100% convinced what role Rice is better in.’

Carragher added: ‘Do you think it’s the end for Zubimendi there? In terms of being what he was supposed to be when he was brought in.

‘He was supposed to come in and be this controller. I don’t see him ever getting that place back now.’

While Carragher is not totally convinced about Arsenal’s move for Guimaraes, Premier League icon Claude Makelele believes he will fit in ‘perfectly’.

‘Bruno Guimaraes is an ambitious player who sees his career one way: Champions League football, always, and teams built to win titles in Europe,’ the Chelsea legend told ComeOn .

‘Arsenal tick every box. They won the Premier League, they’ve gone deep in the Champions League, and they’re built to go again. It’s always right for a good player to join a great team, and Arsenal have done great business.

‘Bruno Guimaraes is a very good player, exceptional, as we saw with Brazil. It’s his career and his decision, but his game fits Arsenal perfectly.’

Arsenal kick-start their Premier League title defence on August 21 against newly-promoted Coventry City.