Bruno Guimaraes asks to leave Newcastle as Arsenal prepare £60m bid

Background

Bruno Guimaraes joined Newcastle from Lyon in January 2022 for £35m and quickly became a central figure in the club's resurgence under Saudi-backed ownership. He captained the side to their first domestic trophy in 70 years, lifting the Carabao Cup two seasons ago. On Sunday, he missed a penalty as Brazil exited the World Cup in the last 16 against Norway.

Arsenal's pursuit

Arsenal have tracked Guimaraes since before his move to Lyon in 2020. An offer worth under £60m was turned down by Newcastle at the end of June. The Premier League champions are now poised to make a fresh approach, with a willingness to pay up to £60m. Guimaraes has asked to leave, though no formal bid or club-to-club talks have taken place.

Newcastle's resistance

Newcastle insist the 28-year-old is not for sale and have an option to extend his contract until 2029. Head coach Eddie Howe is determined to avoid a repeat of the Alexander Isak saga, when the striker forced a £130m move to Liverpool after going on strike. The club have had no direct contact from Arsenal.

Financial picture

The sales of Sandro Tonali to Tottenham for an initial £92.5m and Anthony Gordon to Barcelona, together worth around £170m, have eased pressure from spending rules. Further midfield exits this summer include Elliot Anderson's £116m move to Nottingham Forest and Mateus Fernandes joining Tottenham for £85m. Losing their captain, however, would trigger another major rebuild after a 12th-place finish last season.

What comes next

Arsenal are also considering Bournemouth's Alex Scott and Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi. Any midfield arrival would likely lead to the sale of Christian Norgaard and could affect Martin Zubimendi's starting role. Guimaraes turns 29 in November, a factor in how much Arsenal are willing to pay.