Jack Wilshere says Arsenal would be sending out a ‘statement’ to the rest of the Premier League if they successfully pulled off signing both Bruno Guimaraes and Vinicius Junior this summer.
Arsenal’s hierarchy are refusing to rest on their laurels in the wake of last season’s Premier League title triumph, setting their sights on two of Brazil’s most high-profile players in an effort to add some stardust to Mikel Arteta’s squad.
The English champions have already brought in goalkeeper Illan Meslier and left winger Christos Tzolis this summer, while activating their £34.5million option to make Piero Hincapie’s deal permanent following an initial loan deal.
But it’s clear the Gunners’ ambitions have not yet been satisfied and the club bosses have grown increasingly hopeful of securing a move for Guimaraes, who has informed Newcastle of his desire to push through a switch to the Emirates.
At the weekend, ESPN Brasil claimed Arsenal have made a major breakthrough in their attempts to capture Guimaraes after agreeing on an £80m fee with Newcastle for the 28-year-old central midfielder.
However, widespread reports today indicate that the two clubs are still some distance apart regarding a suitable price for Guimaraes, with the Magpies said to have knocked back an opening bid from Arsenal.
Discussing Guimaraes’ proposed move to north London on Sky Sports News, Wilshere talked up the midfielder’s ‘quality’ and suggested he would be a ‘top signing’ for his former side.
Asked how Guimaraes might fit into Arsenal’s midfield, Wilshere replied: ‘The one thing that I don’t see changing is Declan Rice. Whenever the team played well last year, he was a big part of that.
‘He needs a rest now, he’s had a lot going on in the summer of course, but to add quality… Bruno is a player that I really enjoy watching.
‘With Mikel’s coaching and how he’ll try and shape the way he plays, plus the quality that he already has, I think it would be a top signing if they managed to get it done.’
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Wilshere admitted he had been constantly checking for updates on Arsenal’s rumoured move for Real Madrid superstar Vinicius, one of this summer’s most unexpected transfer sagas.
The ex-England midfielder is ‘interested’ to see how far Arsenal’s interest extends in what he believes would be a ‘statement’ signing for both the club and the Premier League more generally.
‘I’m like everyone else, I keep reading it in and seeing whether it’s getting closer,’ Wilshere explained.
‘It would definitely be a statement. It would be a statement from Mikel and from the club that they won the league last year and they’re not resting on that.
‘They want to go again, they want to improve, of course, on the pitch but obviously the commercial side as well with signing someone like that.
‘It will be interesting to see how that one plays out.’
Having played alongside and worked with Arteta while in charge of Arsenal’s Under-18 team, Wilshere has no doubts about his old midfield partner taking his eye off the ball after last season’s success.
He added: ‘I had no doubt about that, knowing Mikel like I know Mikel and actually being fortunate enough to spend some time there when I was with the Under-18s but also a little bit before when I was training.
‘To see the demands that he sets and how hungry he is to try and improve the club and get the club back to where he feels they belong, he’s done that.
‘He’s won the Premier League and I had no doubt. I saw the look in Mikel’s eyes during the Champions League final, that really hurt him and I knew that he was going to want to improve again, go again.
‘There’s probably an opportunity for Arsenal to go and do that and win the league next year, try and build on that, and then maybe the Champions League.’
Arsenal kicked off their busy pre-season schedule with a comfortable 3-0 win over MK Dons and are currently preparing to face off against Real Betis in Dublin.
Arteta’s men then return home to the Emirates for a double-header against Borussia Dortmund and Como, the club’s final two matches in preparation before their Community Shield showdown with Manchester City on August 16.
The north London giants begin their Premier League defence five days later at home to newly promoted Coventry City.
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