Bruno Guimarães has only played 20 league minutes for Arsenal so far, all from the bench, but he has already put a clear label on Mikel Arteta's demands. Speaking to Standard, the midfielder said Arteta is “very obsessed” with constant improvement, while Arsenal prepare to start their Champions League campaign away to Napoli on Wednesday.
Arteta's standards inside Arsenal
Guimarães moved from Newcastle United in a deal worth £75m this summer, and he has spent the early weeks watching the structure around him rather than driving it himself. His strongest line was simple: “I think that since the first time I talked to him, he's very obsessed with these things, he's always improving.”
He also said: “They're strong physically, strong in defence, strong in attack. It seems that this season they're playing better than last season. I think that's the goal, to improve every year.” That fits the start Arsenal have made. They have won all three Premier League matches, and last season they won all eight of their league-phase matches in Europe.
The start before Napoli
Arsenal's early form gives the quote some weight. They sit on three league wins from three, and they scored 23 and conceded 4 in last season's league phase. That is the level Arteta is trying to keep, especially with a trip to Napoli coming next.
Guimarães has not had much time to shape games yet, and that is part of the point. For a £75m signing, 20 minutes from the bench is a quiet start, but it also shows how settled Arsenal already are. The next real test for that standard comes on Wednesday in Naples.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
