Arsenal in advanced talks with Newcastle over Bruno Guimaraes transfer as final fee set to exceed £75m

Arsenal are stepping up their pursuit of the Newcastle captain, with talks between the two clubs now entering an advanced stage, according to talkSPORT. While the Magpies have publicly maintained that no formal contact has occurred, it is understood that significant progress has been made toward a verbal agreement. The deal is expected to reach a total value north of £75 million, and the Gunners are ready to finalise the deal sooner rather than later.

The groundwork for this high-profile switch appears to have been laid some time ago, as personal terms between Arsenal and the Brazilian midfielder have already been agreed upon. This development has caused a degree of friction between the two clubs; Newcastle insiders have expressed surprise at the lack of a formal written bid despite the intense speculation, whereas Arsenal sources insist that three verbal offers have already been communicated.

For Newcastle, the prospect of losing Guimaraes represents a significant blow. The club has already navigated a difficult summer of departures, seeing key figures like Anthony Gordon join Barcelona in a £70m deal and Sandro Tonali move to Tottenham for a package worth approximately £100m. Losing Guimaraes would mean the departure of two-thirds of last season’s starting midfield trio. While the Magpies have attempted to future-proof the squad by bringing in Sean Steur from Ajax and Aladji Bamba from Monaco, the loss of their captain’s leadership and technical quality would be difficult to replicate immediately.

The Magpies currently find themselves in a relatively strong negotiating position as Guimaraes still has two years remaining on his contract at St James' Park. Having already generated significant revenue from the sales of Gordon and Tonali, the club is under no immediate pressure to sell.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe spoke candidly about the situation following Newcastle’s 1-1 pre-season draw against Gateshead last weekend, admitting that he is not entirely in control of the 28-year-old's destiny. He said: "I’ve spoken to Bruno before, during and after the World Cup. We have had some really good conversations. He’s just a fantastic person. I don’t know what’s going to happen with his future; that’s for other people to speculate about. There’s conversations I’m not part of. I don’t think it’s fair to compare (to Isak last summer). You’ve got to look at it in its own right.

"He’s captain of our club and been an unbelievable player, through the whole time we have worked together. I speak on behalf of everyone at the club; we absolutely love him, and of course everyone would love him to stay. He’s due back on the 31st [of July], and there’s nothing to say he won’t be back."

Former Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has offered a bleak assessment for the Magpies fans, suggesting that the midfielder’s emotional connection to the club may have already faded in light of Arsenal’s interest. "It will be a massive loss for them," Pardew commented. "I think his love has gone. I can't see him staying there and being the same player, so I think it's going to be a question of as much money as possible. I think that's where the Newcastle board will sit."

Newcastle are expecting total professionalism from the Brazilian. Guimaraes is currently on a post-World Cup break and is said to prefer a quick resolution so he can focus on his football.