Arsenal begin contract negotiations with Chelsea midfielder

Could Arsenal sign a midfielder for a reasonable price this summer? That seems unlikely.

Elliott Anderson moved to title rivals Manchester City in a huge £116m deal, while Sandro Tonali joined north London neighbors Tottenham in a £100m move.

These two moves have swollen the market significantly, with Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton now demanding fees such as £100m. Spurs also spent £85m on recently relegated Matheus Fernandes.

The challenge for the Gunners will be to improve their midfield without overpaying. It only makes the £55m deal they signed Martin Zvimendi last summer look even better. This also makes Miles Lewis-Skelly an even more valuable asset.

So if they were to sign a new midfielder, who would it be?

Arsenal’s list of midfield candidates continues to grow

Topping Arsenal’s shortlist this summer is Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimarães.

The Gunners have already made an offer of £55m through an intermediary, but this has been rejected. Mikel Arteta’s side hope to return with another bid and will then begin official negotiations between Thun and the club, but have no intention of selling.

Eddie Howe has already seen Anthony Gordon and Tonali leave. The last thing he wants is for Guimarães to leave too. However, he has two years left on his contract and they are at risk here. It will certainly be easy for the likes of Andrea Berta to lure him to the Emirates Stadium.

If that move doesn’t pass, they have a number of alternatives. Arsenal are said to be so fond of Alex Scott that they have held initial talks with Bournemouth over a deal that could reach £80m. But like Newcastle, the message from the Cherries is that they don’t want to sell.

Another option could be Lille and Morocco’s wonder child Ayyoub Bouadi. He has made enough of an impact at the ongoing World Cup and is likely to leave French shores this summer. Arsenal and Liverpool both held negotiations.

Speaking of the World Cup, the Premier League champions may be paying attention to the players who lifted the famous trophy.

Indeed, according to Chelsea insider Simon Phillips, Arsenal have made an initial inquiry into Chelsea to see if they are open to selling Enzo Fernandes.

The Argentine has been the subject of much speculation this summer, particularly with links with a move to Real Madrid. However, the Spanish side made a notable statement last weekend, declaring that they had no interest in signing the midfielder.

Why Fernandes is a better deal than Bruno Guimarães

In Guimaraes, Arsenal could sign a player they have admired for many years. They were interested in taking him to the Emirates even before he moved to St James’ Park. Unfortunately that didn’t happen and they were left to watch as Brazil star in Newcastle.

The 28-year-old Rio-born midfielder is currently at the peak of his career, which was evident in the 2025-26 season, which was arguably his best season as an individual.

Usually known as a combative, physical and serious midfield presence, Guimarães is now a real threat in attack.

He scored nine goals and provided eight assists for Newcastle last season and it’s clear why Arsenal are looking to sign him.

However, signing Fernandes to Chelsea for £107m could mean they could sign an even better player. The 25-year-old World Cup winner is in his prime and looks set to only get better at Stamford Bridge, where he was hailed as “one of the best midfielders in the world” by Argentine football expert Roy Nemer.

The South American scored 15 goals and provided seven assists last season. Like Bruno, he was also captain of his club team many times. He is stacked quite favorably compared to the Newcastle star.

Naturally, it is the physical Guimarães who comes out on top in terms of winning duels and recovering the ball, but in terms of dynamism and future offerings, Fernandes is the better option.

He’s getting involved in more big chances per 90 minutes and his carries are also improving. He will definitely make Arsenal more efficient on the pitch.

It will be a match-up to see who is the perfect partner for Declan Rice, but signing the Chelsea star could open up a situation where the Arsenal record holder could play deeper as a No. 6.

However, Fernandes would give Arteta great tactical flexibility, as he can also play as a number 10. Guimares, on the other hand, is closer to number 6 or 8. He’s not as versatile or as dynamic as him, but he’s still a great, great football player.