The Arsenal persuasion would describe themselves as being optimistic when assessing the chances of Bruno Guimaraes signing for Mikel Arteta‘s side in the next month.
Though they are taken their sweet time to click into gear, the Gunners have the chance to make their a show-stopping summer transfer window; having already replaced Leandro Trossard with prolific Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis, they are indeed looking to sign Guimaraes and maybe even throw the line out for Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, who is entering the final year of his contract with Los Blancos.
Arsenal are exploring a deal to sign Vini Jr., one of football’s most high-profile and marketable superstars, after missing out on Morgan Rogers. Despite having the lead in the race for the England international, Chelsea hijacked the move and signed the Aston Villa attacking midfielder for £117m.
Arsenal wanted to deepen their English connection this summer, but they could find a different solution elsewhere in the Premier League.
Why Arsenal want to sign within the Premier League
Rogers would have been a superstar signing for an Arsenal side who sit at the top of the tree. He would have filled the homegrown quota, with marketability that could place him alongside the likes of Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice as one of the faces of the Emirates project, but he’s also a rather good footballer.
Arsenal have long had a deep-rooted connection with their homeland, with young English players blooming and thriving for the first team. From Tony Adams and Ian Wright, to Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshere, Hale End has produced some top players over the years.
Though Vini Jr. is something of an outlier this summer, there’s no question that Arsenal are targeting Premier League talent to strengthen their squad. Guimaraes and Rogers stand as a testament to that, with Arteta fighting to bring ready-made, superstar quality over to the squad.
He is also attempting to sign stylish players, maestros in the middle and mavericks down the wing. Guimaraes is one of the most robust and complete midfielders in Europe, for example, but could Arsenal be drawn to an English alternative who would hearken the spirit of a former Gunner like Wilshere?
The truth, though, is that Arsenal need a number of additions, and Three Lions star Rogers was the top target for a reason. The new Chelsea signing ticked many boxes, but technical director Andrea Berta now has his sights set on someone who could end up playing that part, even though he is based in the middle of the park.
Arsenal have opened talks to sign England international
Arsenal’s hopes of signing a new centre-midfielder are focused on Guimaraes, and while it looks like that one may reach a neat conclusion for the Londoners, it’s important to have a back-up plan.
Well, according to Caught Offside, Arsenal have already opened talks to sign Alex Scott this summer, though Chelsea are leading the race for the Bournemouth midfielder and have already had a £64m offer rejected. They are gearing up to return with a £70m offer.
The Cherries do not want to sell, and consider the 21-year-old an £80m player, in keeping with the inflated midfield market. Sources believe other clubs could come into the conversation, so this is certainly one to keep an eye on over the next several weeks.
Scott is a rare talent, so silky and progressive on the ball. He is always aware of his surroundings, capable of squeezing out of tight spots. In that, he could develop into Arsenal’s next version of Wilshere, a former starboy who embodied the expansive, stylish football that is synonymous with this club’s identity.
Scott’s first two seasons in the Premier League saw him impacted by injuries. Thus, he failed to nail down a starting berth in Andoni Iraola’s team. But across 2025/26, an injury-free year allowed the young England star to show what he can do, and he was hailed as a “special talent” by Bournemouth teammate Lewis Cook.
Let’s hope he doesn’t fall down the same injury-ravaged route as Wilshere all those years ago. Scott’s close control and ability to manipulate space is a rare ability in football, and in that, he would offer Arsenal something that no other Gunner possesses, something Wilshere-esque.
|
Alex Scott’s Premier League Development |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (* per 90) |
24/25 |
25/26 |
|
Matches (starts) |
20 (8) |
37 (34) |
|
Goals + Assists |
0 + 0 |
3 + 1 |
|
Touches* |
26.2 |
54.2 |
|
Accurate passes* |
14.2 (85%) |
31.9 (85%) |
|
Big chances created |
1 |
4 |
|
Key passes* |
0.6 |
0.8 |
|
Possession lost* |
5.1 |
10.4 |
|
Succ. dribbles* |
0.3 (32%) |
0.8 (56%) |
|
Ball recoveries* |
2.6 |
5.3 |
|
Def. contributions |
2.5 |
4.8 |
|
Duels won* |
3.3 (49%) |
5.0 (56%) |
To say he’s come on leaps and bounds would be a steep understatement. And he’s only going to go from strength to strength across the next several years. Could he become the world-class sensation that Wilshere, cruelly, never became due to so many setbacks.
The retired midfielder, now managing Luton Town, made 197 appearances for Arsenal, notably winning two FA Cups. He was once described as a “top player” by Pep Guardiola, then managing Barcelona, who suggested he had the capacity to become a legend. If only.
For Arteta’s Arsenal, Missing out on Rogers was not a disaster, especially if they sign someone such as Vinicius Junior to compensate down the left.
However, Arteta wanted an up-and-coming Three Lions superstar, and though Scott may bring a different flavour to the team, he is quickly emerging as one of England’s most exciting midfielders, and though it’s been sometimes since a young Wilshere dazzled at the Emirates, there’s a sense that Scott could be the second coming for a side who are primed to challenge for more titles.