Evra and Makelele Back Arsenal's Midfield Targets Kone and Guimaraes
Patrice Evra knows what it takes to survive in England’s midfield storm. So when the former Manchester United defender looks at Manu Kone and sees a Premier League player in waiting, people tend to listen.
Evra has urged his compatriot to set his sights on north London, and not just anywhere in the capital. He believes Arsenal, of all places, is where Kone’s profile truly fits.
“I like Manu Kone's profile for the Premier League. He has energy, he carries the ball, he likes duels and he works for the team,” Evra said to Stake, sketching out the kind of attributes that translate in England. High tempo. Relentless running. Contact football. No hiding.
In Evra’s eyes, the Bundesliga midfielder has the raw materials to cope with the unforgiving rhythm of the division.
“All of those things matter in England. The Premier League is faster. You don't get time to breathe. So the important thing is adaptation. Don't judge him after five games,” he warned, a reminder that even the most gifted imports need time to harden to the pace and chaos.
The message was clear: give Kone the right environment and patience, and the rest can follow.
“If he goes to Arsenal with a manager who knows how to use him, I think he can do well. He definitely has the tools. Then it is about consistency.”
Evra’s endorsement reads like a scouting report tailored to Mikel Arteta’s system – intensity without the ball, bravery with it, and a willingness to compete in every duel. Yet for all the admiration, Kone is not at the top of Arsenal’s shopping list.
Their gaze is locked elsewhere.
Arsenal’s midfield obsession
Inside the Emirates recruitment meetings, the priority sits in black and white: Bruno Guimaraes. The Newcastle United midfielder has emerged as Arsenal’s main target, with reports suggesting personal terms have already been agreed.
If Kone is the intriguing project, Guimaraes is the ready-made centrepiece – a Champions League-level conductor who already knows the league and has carried the weight of a club’s ambitions on his shoulders.
Arsenal’s push for Guimaraes has not just impressed their own fanbase. It has drawn approval from one of the greatest defensive midfielders of the modern era: Claude Makelele.
Speaking to ComeOn, the Chelsea legend did not bother to dress it up. He sees a clear alignment between player and club.
“Bruno Guimaraes is an ambitious player who sees his career one way: Champions League football, always, and teams built to win titles in Europe,” Makelele said, framing Guimaraes as a footballer who demands a certain stage.
For Makelele, Arsenal provide exactly that.
“Arsenal tick every box. They won the Premier League, they've gone deep in the Champions League, and they're built to go again. It's always right for a good player to join a great team, and Arsenal have done great business.”
The praise cuts to the heart of Arsenal’s current project. Arteta has built a side that not only competes domestically but expects to live deep into the spring in Europe. Players like Guimaraes do not just fill gaps; they raise ceilings.
Makelele has seen enough of the Brazilian, for club and country, to be convinced.
“Bruno Guimaraes is a very good player, exceptional, as we saw with Brazil. It's his career and his decision, but his game fits Arsenal perfectly.”
Two great midfielders of the past. Two glowing recommendations. One club at the centre of both conversations.
Evra points to Kone as a dynamic fit for the league and for Arsenal’s style. Makelele looks at Guimaraes and sees an elite operator stepping into a team built to chase titles.
Arsenal cannot sign everyone. Choices define eras. Which profile they commit to – the polished star in Guimaraes or the high-upside engine in Kone – will say a lot about how bold Arteta wants his midfield evolution to be.
