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Bruno Guimarães has vowed to be Arsenal's "warrior" in the middle of the park following the end of the drawn-out transfer saga that has ultimately seen him make the move to the Gunners from Newcastle United.
Guimarães brings high-intensity energy and physicality to the heart of midfield for the defending Premier League champions, helping to ease the burden on Declan Rice and providing Mikel Arteta with additional depth as he once again pursues silverware across four competitions this season.
Lining up alongside Rice—who reached out to Guimarães before the deal was finalized—was one of the factors that appeared to attract the Brazilian. No longer having to face Arsenal's "very tough" midfield, but instead being part of it, was another compelling reason.
"Rice sent me a message: 'Come here and please no more fights, now we're friends!' I was happy he messaged me," Guimarães told Arsenal.com. "In my point of view, [the Arsenal midfield] is one of the best in Europe. Everyone is an amazing player.
"Every time when I play against [Arsenal] it was very tough. They keep the ball, they defend like one. I think that combination is the way I like to play as well, and of course, joining the winners of the league is always a big opportunity."
On what he plans to contribute himself, Guimarães added: "I can pass the ball, run a lot and play like a warrior, I'll never give up. I will try to help the team, [I'm] good with the ball, composed, very calm, and sometimes I can score some goals."
Bruno Guimaraes Keeps Hold of No. 39 Jersey
Arsenal will be the latest club for which Guimarães dons the No. 39 shirt. The number carries profound personal significance, as he revealed back in 2023 that #39 was the dispatch number of his father's taxi in Rio de Janeiro in his native Brazil.
Holding onto that number upon joining the fifth club of his career came as little surprise, particularly with shirts such as No. 8, No. 6, and No. 5 already claimed by other players.
Lower squad numbers are generally reserved for established senior players in football, yet Rice still wears the No. 41 shirt he has carried throughout his professional career. When the two line up together in central midfield for Arsenal, their combined shirt numbers will total 80.
"It means everything to me," Guimarães explained. "I have the tattoo of the 39 as well. My father was a taxi driver in Brazil for more than 20 years. The taxi, of course, gave me everything for my family, the place we live, the food, my clothes, everything.
"So when I got the chance to sign to a top club in Brazil, I asked my father which number I should take and he said 39. I was upset a little bit because I wanted to take the 97. He said: 'No, no, take the 39. The 39 gave you everything.'"
No. 97 would represent the year of Guimarães' birth, which is a fairly common reason behind shirt number choices—though only in leagues that permit it, unlike La Liga, for instance.
When Guimarães joined Brazilian club Athletico Paranaense, No. 39 was the shirt he was assigned by coincidence: "I went to the kit man and I said: 'Why 39?' He said: 'Well, if you don't want it, you can change it.' I said: 'No, no, no, it's exactly what I want!' At that moment, I called my father and when I told him the history, he started to cry. He said: 'I told you, this number is going to give you luck.' Since then, I've always been the 39."