Newcastle insist Arsenal have yet to make direct contact, even as Guimarães’s camp pushes for a move and intermediaries test the numbers.
Bruno Guimarães has reportedly told Newcastle United he wants to leave and join Arsenal, with his representatives now pushing hard to make a deal a reality.
Newcastle want to keep their captain and have dismissed any suggestion they would agree to a move at around £60million.
The Times reports that Guimarães is unhappy, wants to leave Newcastle and is ready to end his 4½-year spell on Tyneside, although they say he has not directly told the club as much.
A Daily Mail report, however, like The Athletic (linked above), says he has gone further and made clear to Newcastle that he wants to join Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta wants to strengthen his midfield before Arsenal’s title defence begins and Guimarães is described as the club’s main target.
At 28, he is understood to see Arsenal as his last chance for a major move to a side expected to compete for the biggest trophies every season.
Newcastle, though, are not ready to play along.
Telegraph Sport reports that club sources insist there has been no direct contact from Arsenal and that no verbal offer has been rejected.
They view the situation as being driven by agents trying to unsettle their captain, rather than by a formal Arsenal approach.
That has created frustration at Newcastle, where there is said to be private surprise that Arsenal have not formally declared their interest despite the amount of reporting around the move. There is also a belief that Arsenal may doubt they can do the deal this summer at a fee Newcastle will accept.
Intermediaries reportedly believe a fee of about £75million could move the deal forward, but Newcastle consider suggestions they would sell for about £60million “farcical”.
Privately, they have indicated that any serious asking price would be closer to the insane £100million Tottenham paid for Sandro Tonali.
Newcastle’s position is strengthened by Guimarães’s contract. He is their top earner on £150,000 a week (according to The Times, Telegraph says £200k), is tied down until 2029 with a one-year extension option.
Across reporting today, Guimarães is described as conflicted.
He would like to join Arsenal and has made it known that he would be keen to leave if a fee can be agreed, but, The Telegraph reports, he also cares about Newcastle and does not want to damage his legacy.
That is a delicate point after he strongly criticised Alexander Isak last summer for forcing through his move to Liverpool.
Guimarães, apparently, does not want to follow the same path.
Newcastle have already sold Anthony Gordon and Tonali this summer for about £170million combined, after losing Isak to Liverpool last summer for £125million.
Another major exit would raise serious questions among supporters about the Saudi-owned project, particularly as Guimarães is widely seen as their most important and popular player.
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