Bruno Guimarães has opened up about the emotional cost of his summer transfer to Arsenal, admitting the decision to leave Newcastle United caused him sleepless nights. The Brazilian midfielder completed a £75 million move to the Gunners after four seasons at St James' Park, where he captained the side and lifted the Carabao Cup.

"I lost many, many nights of sleep because it was difficult for me, for my family," Guimarães said. He described the move as one of the toughest decisions of his life, a sentiment echoed in a personal statement he released at the time. The 28-year-old said his farewells were filled with emotion. "I remember, when I said bye to the lads, I was crying. They were crying as well, because we were a family there."

Guimarães felt the time was right for a new challenge, despite the deep affection he developed on Tyneside. He stated he never felt so loved as he did at Newcastle and hopes to earn the same connection with Arsenal supporters. His departure was part of a turbulent period for the Magpies, which also saw the sales of Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali and the departure of manager Eddie Howe. Newcastle's sporting director, Ross Wilson, had previously stated the club had no wish to sell their influential midfielder.

Settling in at Arsenal

Since arriving, Guimarães has made 13 appearances and become a key figure in Mikel Arteta's midfield, forming a partnership with Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard. He scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0 win at Sunderland and has started back-to-back Champions League games, including last week's 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich. In that match, he operated as a defensive No 6, allowing Rice to push forward into a No 8 role. It was Rice who scored the 82nd-minute equaliser in Munich, securing a valuable point.

Guimarães has praised Arteta's careful approach and attacking mentality, which he says reflects a changed mindset at the club. He endured a nagging groin issue early in his Arsenal career but has since recovered to play a full part. His integration comes as Arsenal sit second in the Premier League with 18 points from seven games, just three points behind leaders Manchester City. Bukayo Saka leads the team's scoring charts this season with three goals.

More detail at ESPN Soccer