Arteta admits he’s sold star who was Arsenal’s ‘glue’

6 Aug 2026 10:01 BST | 2 min read

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Accredited football journalist and editor covering the game since 2006

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Arsenal move to sign Bruno Guimaraes has caused collateral damage in the squad, with Mikel Arteta admitting that he was prompted to sell the ‘glue’ of the Gunners’ squad to allow the Newcastle man to join.

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Bruno is set to join Arsenal in a deal worth £75 million, which forced Arteta to assess his midfield options.

Unsurprisingly, the Spaniard and sporting director Andrea Berta found Christian Norgaard surplus to requirements and sold him to Everton in a £7m transfer. It is a deal that was conducted not without some regret on the part of the Premier League champions.

“He played a tremendous role for us," Arteta said of the Denmark international, who only played one season for the club after arriving in a £10 million deal from Brentford.

“When I brought him here I said that he could be our glue player. He has an incredible capacity to bring players together and keep the standards high.

“When he played, he had some really good moments as well. But I understand to fulfil that role for long periods is not easy.

“He had a massive opportunity with a manager and a club I know really well. I wish him all the best and thank you.”

Norgaard an unseen influence at Arsenal

Norgaard featured on 20 occasions for Arsenal, but was only used seven times in the Premier League, amassing only 106 minutes of action in the top flight and starting only on the final day of the season against Crystal Palace.

The 32-year-old had previously won his reputation with Brentford, where he played six seasons and was particularly noted for his defensive qualities in the heart of the park.

Arsenal’s decision to sign Bruno Guimaraes represents a significant strengthening on Arteta’s options in the midfield, with the Brazil international more of a two-way player than the veteran Dane.

Not only can the former Lyon man act as a shielding presence to the defence, but he offers more versatility in an attacking sense and is a more dynamic, energetic box-to-box player.

Arteta has, however, hailed the unseen aspects of Norgaard’s personality, which can be vital in gelling a team together. How much these are missed by the Gunners remains to be seen.