Arsenal's record-breaking summer signing Bruno Guimarães will have to wait to make his debut for the reigning Premier League champions after missing Friday's title-defence opener against Coventry City through injury.
The Brazilian, signed from Newcastle United for a fee in the region of £75million — the highest ever paid for a midfielder aged 28 or over — was forced to sit out as Arsenal began the defence of last season's title, which they won for the first time in 22 years.
Manager Mikel Arteta played down concerns over the issue after the match, insisting the injury is not expected to keep his new midfielder out for long.
"We don't expect him to be out for several weeks," Arteta said. "Let's see how he develops during this week."
The Arsenal manager also praised Guimarães' attitude around the setback, revealing the midfielder had pushed to be involved before ultimately being withdrawn from contention.
"He wanted to continue, and that's where you start to understand the player's character," Arteta said, according to the club's official website. "But I don't expect it to be a big problem."
Guimarães joined Arsenal in one of the most eye-catching deals of the summer window, ending a spell at Newcastle that began in 2022 when he arrived from Lyon. He made 195 appearances for the Magpies, scoring 31 goals and winning the Carabao Cup, and had been considered close to undroppable at St James' Park before requesting the move.
Newcastle's chief executive David Hopkinson said afterwards that the fee, agreed after Newcastle rejected an opening bid well below their asking price, represented good business for the club despite the emotional nature of losing their captain.
Arsenal will hope to have Guimarães available soon as they continue their title defence, with the club having invested heavily across the squad this summer in an effort to retain the trophy they waited more than two decades to win.