Bruno Guimaraes close to completing move to Arsenal from Newcastle – reports

By Press Association Sport Reporters

Arsenal’s move for Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes is finally nearing completion, according to reports.

The 28-year-old Brazil midfielder’s future has been the subject of frenzied speculation for weeks ever since it emerged that he had indicated that he wanted to leave Tyneside for the Emirates Stadium.

However the Magpies, who signed Guimaraes for £35million from Ligue 1 club Lyon in January 2022, did not receive a formal offer from the Gunners until this week which, it emerged on Monday, they had rejected out of hand.

Indeed, the player reported for duty at the Tyneside club’s pre-season training camp in La Manga in Spain after his post-World Cup finals break hours later as talks continued.

It now appears that significant progress has been made with the Premier League champions closing in on a deal which would see them finally capture a man they have long coveted.

Newcastle have known for months that they might have to make a decision over a player they did not want to sell, while holding a valuation – understood to be in the region of £80m – at which business might have to be done.

Guimaraes proved a central character in the team Eddie Howe, who bought him a mater of weeks after his own arrival at St James’ Park, built to first fend off relegation from the top flight and then force its way back to prominence.

It was he who as captain lifted the Carabao Cup at Wembley in March last year – the Magpies’ first major domestic trophy in 70 years – having established himself as a talisman for fans who dared to believe once again.

However, Alexander Isak’s controversial departure for Liverpool last season sparked something of a decline, and Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Howe himself have since departed this summer to leave the club in a state of flux.

Guimaraes’ departure would blow another sizeable hole in the squad and leave the new head coach – German Matthias Jaissle has been with the players since the weekend, but is yet to be formally announced – with a major task to mould together a new-look side before the season’s opener against Liverpool on August 23.

For Mikel Arteta, his arrival at the Emirates would bring an end to a saga which has proved draining for supporters of both clubs, and add a significant new weapon to his midfield armoury.