Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes is set to make a £75 million switch from Newcastle to Arsenal. The 28-year-old has departed from the Magpies' pre-season camp and is expected to undergo a medical in London shortly. Guimaraes will maintain his iconic number 39 shirt at the Gunners.
This number carries a touching family story. Guimaraes grew up in a modest household in the San Cristovao area of Rio de Janeiro. His father, Dick, worked as a taxi driver for over twenty years, clocking in around 15-hour days to support the family and finance his son's football boots. Interestingly, the taxi's number plate bore 039.
When the young midfielder joined Atletico Paranaense, his father suggested he wear the 39 jersey as a tribute to their hard work as a family. Remarkably, the club had already assigned him that very number, which brought tears to the eyes of both father and son.
Since then, Bruno Guimaraes has donned the number 39 at every club he has played for and even has a tattoo of the number on his right calf. Guimaraes has often referred to this number as 'magical', emphasising its significance in his life and career.
