Bruno Guimarães lost sleep before Newcastle exit but wants the same love at Arsenal

Bruno Guimarães went through a summer of mixed emotions. The Brazilian midfielder knew his move to Arsenal was an opportunity too good to turn down, but leaving Newcastle United — the club where he felt more loved than anywhere else — cost him many sleepless nights and plenty of tears. Now, months after a £75m transfer, he admits he needed a new challenge and hopes to build a connection in north London as special as the one he left behind at St James' Park.

• Bruno Guimarães admits he lost many nights of sleep before deciding to leave Newcastle United.
• The Brazilian midfielder recalls a tearful farewell with club owners, Eddie Howe and his teammates.
• Arsenal paid £75m for a player who has already scored key goals against Sunderland and Leeds United.
• Guimarães highlights Mikel Arteta's relentless mentality and has the trip to Newcastle on 21 November circled in his diary.
• The Brazilian praises Manuel Neuer, whose miracle save denied him the winner at the Allianz Arena.

A tearful goodbye after unforgettable years at St James' Park

Saying farewell to Newcastle was never going to be a simple formality for Guimarães. The Brazil international joined the club in January 2022 from Lyon and became one of the fans' biggest references. He played in the Champions League and, above all, lifted the Carabao Cup in 2025, Newcastle's first domestic trophy in seventy years. That long silverware drought ended with a generation of which he was a central part.

So when the time came to announce his decision, the midfielder could not hold back his emotions. "It was not just hard to tell Eddie but to tell the owners and my teammates," he said. "I remember when I said bye to the lads, I was crying. They were crying as well because we were a family there. I lost many, many nights of sleep because it was difficult for me, for my family. But sometimes in your life you have to make decisions and in my mind, I needed a new challenge."

Why Arsenal paid £75m for Bruno Guimarães

Arsenal wanted a different profile for their midfield: a player capable of unlocking tight defences while bringing intensity and bite to the press. Guimarães ticked every box. His early output has confirmed the expectations. He scored his first goal for the club in September, during the visit to Sunderland, and two league games later he fired the winner at home against Leeds United.

Add to that his blossoming partnership with Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard, a triangle in which positions are constantly interchanged. "Declan can play, like me, as a No 6, No 8 or No 10. The manager is still trying to get the best version of ourselves. Against Bayern, I played more as a No 6 and Declan played more as a No 8. I enjoy playing with him a lot, and with Martin as well. We have been on a good run so far," he noted.

From Premier League rivals to midfield partners

The rivalry between Guimarães and Rice was one of the most intense in the division. The Brazilian sums it up with a smile: "When we were playing against each other, I was not nice to him and he was not nice to me. Now we try to help each other on the pitch." In fact, Rice messaged him before he signed for Arsenal, telling him: "No more fights, now we're friends."

That connection off the pitch has translated into growing understanding on it. The first leg of the European tie against Bayern Munich ended 2-2, with Rice rescuing a point in the 82nd minute. Guimarães almost made it 2-1 just before that, but Manuel Neuer denied him with a save the Brazilian still cannot explain.

Manuel Neuer's impossible save and the Arteta mentality

The Brazilian believes the 40-year-old German goalkeeper "pulled off a miracle" when he clawed his close-range header against the crossbar. "I asked him after the game: 'How did you manage to save that?' He said: 'I don't know. I just saved it!' He's unbelievable, one of the best keepers in the world. No matter how old he is, he is top," Guimarães said.

That constant ambition is exactly what Guimarães values about his new club. "The mentality of the club has changed a lot and Arteta shows this perfectly. We don't accept a draw at Bayern. We always want to win. That is the mentality we go to the training ground with every day. Arteta is always a little bit addicted to videos and the way he can make us feel better on the pitch. We have a top manager with a top mentality. We want to win everything possible."

The 21 November reunion: Newcastle, but from the other side

Arsenal's visit to St James' Park on 21 November will be a special date for Guimarães. The midfielder makes no secret of his biggest wish: to build the same kind of bonds in London that he left behind in the North East. "My connection with the club was unbelievable. I never felt so loved like the way I was at Newcastle. I hope I can have the same love here at Arsenal. I wish Newcastle all the best because they were so nice to me. It is just time to move on and I've been enjoying my time here at Arsenal," he said.

Before that reunion, Arteta's side host Everton on Saturday, another chance to extend a run that Guimarães describes as one of the strongest since his arrival. The Brazilian insists he is in the right place.