Arsenal 'close' to surprise transfer as Arteta confirms arrival of 'better' signings

30 Jul 2026 06:31 BST | 4 min read

Suraj Radia | Editor

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Mikel Arteta has warned that Arsenal need to make signings this summer that take them to a ‘different level’, with a major deal reportedly close to completion.

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With aims of defending their title and going one step further after finishing runners up in the Champions League final, Arsenal are eyeing elite talent such as Bruno Guimaraes and Vinicius Junior to add to their squad.

Compared

Vinícius Júnior

F (CL), M (L)

Real Madrid

Vinícius Júnior

F (CL), M (L)

Real Madrid

VS

Bruno Guimarães

M, DM (C)

Newcastle

Bruno Guimarães

M, DM (C)

Newcastle

€106.9M	ETV	€63.1M
€96.2M - €117.6M	ETV Range	€56.8M - €69.4M
26 years old (12 Jul, 2000)	Age	28 years old (16 Nov, 1997)
Brazil	Nationality	Brazil

Arteta insisted that the feeling was mutual throughout the club and claimed that Arsenal have already ‘identified’ where they and improve and grow to execute their new set of ‘standards’.

“A lot is happening," Arteta told Arsenal.com. "We all know about the context of this transfer window. From ownership to the board, the sporting director and myself, we know that we want to take this club to a different level. That is going to require a better squad, better individuals.

“We have identified where we have opportunities to grow and to improve and to evolve our game and what is going to be needed to achieve that. Hopefully very soon we can start to put things in a very concrete way.”

“This has to be the start and this has to be the standard. Excellence has to be our standard and this has to drive to attack the future,” Arteta added. “Now we have to show that we belong to this level and we want to increase and take this football club to a different dimension.”

Arsenal ‘close’ to signing defender after Saliba injury, claims reporter

Although Guimaraes and Vini Jr remain Arteta’s top targets, Brazilian reporter Bruno Andrade claims that Arsenal are ‘close’ to signing an unspecified centre-back to replace William Saliba, who is facing an extended stint on the sidelines with a back injury.

© IMAGO - William Saliba is facing many months out injured.

Saliba played through the pain barrier at the 2026 World Cup and, while the Frenchman has seemingly avoided the need for surgery, he could be injured for up to five months, leaving Arsenal short-staffed in defence and allegedly ready to dip into the transfer market.

“I don’t have the name here, so I can’t call it an exclusive,” Andrade said on YouTube. “But speaking to someone involved in Bruno Guimarães’ situation, Arsenal are close to signing a centre-back to solve, for now, the issue created by Saliba’s injury.

“They haven’t given me the name yet. I’m trying to find out so I can help our English colleagues too, but it’s a deal that will happen even faster than the Bruno Guimarães transfer. It’s really imminent.”