Four ways Arsenal can line up with Bruno Guimaraes as Mikel Arteta closes in on £75m signing

Once Bruno Guimaraes signs for Arsenal, Mikel Arteta will have an abundance of options to choose from in midfield

Arsenal are on the verge of signing Bruno Guimaraes after reportedly agreeing a £75million deal with Newcastle. The Brazil international is set to become the Gunners' first blockbuster arrival of the summer and their second-most expensive signing ever, behind only Declan Rice.

Fans will no doubt be salivating at the prospect of seeing Rice rubbing shoulders in the centre of the park with Guimaraes, whose arrival will provide Mikel Arteta with an embarrassment of riches in midfield and create a host of intriguing tactical options.

With Martin Odegaard, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino also competing for places, Arsenal's engine room looks capable of matching almost any side in Europe. Of course, having so many top-class options also creates a selection headache, which begs the question: how does Arteta squeeze them all into the same team?

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4-3-3 - Guimaraes (#6), Rice (#8), Odegaard (#8)

In this system, Guimaraes would operate at the base of midfield as Arsenal's primary deep-lying playmaker, taking charge of the early build-up phases. His press resistance and ability to pick out incisive passes under pressure would help the Gunners play through opposition lines far more effectively.

That, in turn, would allow Declan Rice to play to his greatest strengths. Freed from the responsibility of operating as a defensive shield, he could use his athleticism to drive forward from the left side of midfield, cover huge areas of the pitch and make his trademark late runs into the box.

Further ahead, Martin Odegaard would continue to pull the strings in the right half-space, combining with Bukayo Saka whilst enjoying even greater freedom to roam, find pockets of space and lead Arsenal's press. With Guimaraes setting the tempo from deep, the Gunners would boast a midfield that blends control, defensive stability, relentless energy and no shortage of creativity.

4-2-3-1 - Guimaraes (#6), Rice (#6), Eze (#10)

This setup feels tailor-made for demanding European away trips or heavyweight Premier League clashes against dangerous counter-attacking teams. By pairing Guimaraes and Rice in a dynamic double pivot, Arsenal would have an energetic, steely defensive shield protecting the back four.

Guimaraes would bring composure in possession, press resistance and the vision to move the ball through the lines, whilst Rice's athleticism, recovery pace and crunching tackling would help snuff out counter-attacks before they gathered momentum.

Ahead of them, Eberechi Eze would be given the freedom to operate as a true No. 10. With Guimaraes and Rice doing the defensive heavy lifting, Eze could drift into dangerous pockets, commit defenders and drive directly at the opposition back line. The result is a midfield built for high-pressure occasions - one that offers control, defensive security and plenty of creativity.

4-3-3 - Zubimendi (#6), Guimaraes (#8), Rice (#8)

Deploying Martin Zubimendi as the lone holding midfielder would free Guimaraes to play the box-to-box No. 8 role in which he thrived at St James' Park. Relieved of the responsibility of orchestrating every phase of Arsenal's build-up, the Brazilian could instead use his vision, progressive passing and ball-carrying ability to hurt teams further up the pitch.

Flanking him would be Declan Rice, creating a frighteningly athletic, dual-engine No. 8 pairing, with Zubimendi calmly dictating play behind them. The combination of Rice and Guimaraes would allow Arsenal to swarm opponents with an aggressive counter-press, winning the ball back quickly and sustaining attacks.

The result is a midfield with virtually every attribute Arteta could ask for: Zubimendi's positional intelligence and control at the base, Rice's endless running and defensive dominance and a liberated Guimaraes capable of providing creativity, incision and goal threat in the final third.

3-2-4-1 - Zubimendi (#6), Guimaraes (#6), Rice (#8), Odegaard (#8)

Since Arsenal almost exclusively set up in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, this one requires a little imagination. Think of it as an in-possession shape that Arteta can deploy against stubborn low blocks.

Zubimendi's positional discipline and ability to dictate the tempo would dovetail perfectly with Guimaraes' line-breaking passing. Together, they could control the rhythm of games, bypass opposition mid-blocks and help Arsenal dominate possession while hemming opponents inside their own half.

With Zubimendi and Guimaraes providing a solid platform in transition and rest defence, Rice would have the freedom to operate further forward as a box-crashing No. 8. His late runs into the area and knack for winning second balls would complement Odegaard's creativity, giving Arsenal the best of both worlds - complete control in possession and plenty of bodies in midfield.