Arsenal have been chasing Bruno Guimarães for years, but they appear to have taken another big step, with the Newcastle captain informing the club he wants to leave and join the Premier League champions permanently.
The Gunners have been tracking the Brazilian all summer and an initial verbal approach worth around £55m was rejected, but recent reports suggest Arsenal are preparing for Guimarães’ return as he presses ahead with a move.
The 28-year-old has arguably been Newcastle’s most influential player since joining from Lyon in January 2022, but last season his importance was emphasized more than ever.
Guimarães captained Eddie Howe’s side through a difficult season, making 39 appearances in all competitions and finishing as Newcastle’s top Premier League scorer with nine league goals, the highest of his career.
In addition to his exploits for the club, he also performed well for Brazil at the World Cup overall, scoring four assists in the five games they played before being eliminated, despite missing a penalty against Norway.
Daily Mail reporter Craig Hope has some interesting information regarding Arsenal’s signing of the midfielder.
Arsenal find out the lowest price for Bruno Guimarães, who ‘surprised’ Newcastle
Hope backed up other reports that Guimarães had told Newcastle he wanted to join Arsenal, but Howe’s team will only enter into formal negotiations if they hear directly from the north Londoner.
He also claims that a second verbal offer is already being discussed behind the scenes, but officials believe a fee of around £75m could be enough to make progress.
This leaves Arsenal with an important decision to make. The interest is clearly genuine, but Newcastle have already sanctioned high-profile departures this summer and are reluctant to lose yet another cornerstone of Eddie Howe’s side.
Football Fancast Verdict | |
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reliability | Craig Hope is regarded as one of the most trusted journalists covering Newcastle. As the Daily Mail’s North East football correspondent, he has consistently provided accurate reporting on the club, particularly regarding transfers and internal matters. His Newcastle exclusives are widely respected and frequently corroborated by other prominent reporters. |
finances | If the deal, worth around £75m, goes through, Guimarães will become one of Arsenal’s biggest-ever signings. Arsenal will need to improve these terms as he currently earns around £160,000 a week at Newcastle. Still, his reported valuation is lower than many elite midfielders of similar quality and experience. It’s also worth noting that although his current contract expires in 2028, the Magpies are protected by a 12-month extension clause. |
insight | Guimarães rose to prominence at Atlético Paranaense before impressing at Lyon, becoming the leader of Newcastle’s midfield. The Brazilian international and Olympic gold medalist has developed into one of Europe’s best all-round midfielders, captaining Newcastle and leading them to their first major title since the 1950s in 2025. |
impact | Guimarães could add a new dimension to Arsenal’s midfield and be the perfect complement to Rice, Odegaard and Zvimendi. After scoring nine goals in the Premier League last season while anchoring Newcastle’s midfield, he proved he can influence games at both ends of the pitch. |
Newcastle officials are understood to be “surprised” that there has been no contact between the clubs from Arsenal, despite ongoing talks through an intermediary.
However, from Arsenal’s point of view, Guimarães is exactly the kind of player who represents the quality of a midfielder who can take an already outstanding team to another level.
Why Guimarães is perfect for Arsenal
His numbers are only part of the story.
In addition to his nine goals in the Premier League, Guimarães continues to excel as the organizer of Newcastle’s midfield, with few English midfielders influencing games at either end of the pitch as consistently as he has.
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He will promote Arsenal immediately.
Guimarães will complement Declan Rice, while Martin Odegaard will direct play in advanced areas.
He bridged these two roles perfectly and was able to bring creativity and leadership from a deeper position.
His performances throughout the 25/26 season have proven that, and if Arsenal are serious about staying at the top of English football and challenging for the Champions League, signing Guimarães would definitely strengthen the only area of the team that can still get even better.
That said, his arrival almost certainly means the retirement of Christian Norgaard, and Arsenal are thought to be open to making an offer for the Dane.
