Steven Taylor slams Guimaraes' £75m Arsenal move with brutal 1/10 rating

Bruno Guimaraes’ £75 million move from Newcastle United to Arsenal has been savaged by former Magpies defender Steven Taylor, who awarded the transfer a 1/10 and declared the Brazilian made “the worst decision” of his career.

Taylor, now head coach of UAE side Desert Falcon, said he was baffled by Guimaraes’ choice to leave Tyneside after four seasons at St James’ Park. Arsenal agreed the fee with Newcastle, and the former Lyon midfielder has signed a four-year contract at the Emirates.

“He’s made the worst decision,” Taylor said. “I don’t understand why he’d leave Newcastle to go to Arsenal, but he made his decision. I’d give that transfer 1/10.”

Guimaraes, for his part, framed the move as a pursuit of silverware. “I’m at the point of my life, I think I need a challenge like this,” he said after signing for the Gunners. “I want to win trophies. I want to make history and I think I’m in the right place to do it. I’m so excited to start.”

Taylor was equally scathing about Sandro Tonali, who completed a £100 million switch to Tottenham — Arsenal’s north London rivals. The Italian has already faced his former club this season, with Spurs falling to a 2-0 defeat against Newcastle in their second Premier League fixture. Taylor noted that Tonali “tried too hard” and was given a hostile reception by both the fans and players on the pitch.

The former defender believes both Guimaraes and Tonali face a similarly rough homecoming when they return to St James’ Park later in the campaign. Arsenal travel to the north east in November, with Tottenham’s visit scheduled for April.

The pattern was set on the opening day of the season, when Alexander Isak — who left Newcastle acrimoniously in 2025 — was jeered throughout and failed to make any meaningful impact against his old club. Taylor suggested the Newcastle dressing room will approach those fixtures with the same edge. “It’s always good and the manager will be saying: ‘Let’s get into them’,” he said. “You want to make sure the tackles are going in. You want to upset them and you know their weaknesses.”

Newcastle’s willingness to offload Guimaraes, Tonali, Anthony Gordon, and Isak in quick succession raises questions about the direction of the club’s project — but Taylor’s frustration appears directed squarely at the players who chose to leave.