Arsenal are close to signing a new centre-back following William Saliba's injury

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·29 July 2026

Arsenal are close to signing a new centre-back following William Saliba's injury

Arsenal have been heavily linked with a move for the Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.

However, he is not the only player they are looking to sign right now, and they are working on a deal for a central defender. William Saliba is currently sidelined with an injury, and they are looking to add more depth to the defensive unit.

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According to journalist Bruno Andrade, Arsenal are working on signing a defender. It remains to be seen who they end up with. The Gunners had the best defensive unit in Europe last season, and Saliba was a key player for them. In his absence, they need more quality at the back.

“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.”

Meanwhile, Arsenal should look to invest in the attack as well. They need a reliable finisher who can score goals consistently and a dynamic winger. They have already invested in Christos Tzolis as a replacement for Leandro Trossard.

It will be interesting to see if they can plug the other gaps in their team during the summer transfer window. Signing from Newcastle would be a step in the right direction as well. They need more control, technical ability, and creativity from the middle of the park. The Brazilian midfield would be exceptional for them. He is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, and he could make an immediate impact at the London club.