Arsenal agree £75m deal for Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes

Arsenal have reached an agreement with Newcastle United to sign captain Bruno Guimaraes in a deal worth £75 million, with the Brazilian midfielder set to undergo a medical before completing the move, according to Sky Sports.

The Premier League champions had an initial bid rejected before both clubs agreed on a fee that will see the 28-year-old join Mikel Arteta’s squad.

Guimaraes joined Newcastle from French side Lyon in 2022 for £40 million and has since become a key figure at St James’ Park. The Brazil international reportedly informed the Magpies earlier this summer that he wanted to join Arsenal if a suitable offer was made.

He leaves Newcastle after making 195 appearances and scoring 31 goals. The midfielder still had two years remaining on his contract, with the club holding an option to extend it by a further year.

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie said Newcastle were determined to keep their captain and would only sanction a transfer after the player expressed his desire to leave and Arsenal met the club’s valuation.

“Newcastle were desperate to keep Bruno Guimaraes and if he had said he wanted to stay, Newcastle would have refused any offer from Arsenal or any other club,” Downie said.

He added that Guimaraes viewed the move as his “last big opportunity to win titles,” prompting his decision to seek a transfer.

According to Downie, Newcastle were also pleased with the midfielder’s professionalism throughout the negotiations, noting that he reported for the club’s pre-season training camp in Spain despite the uncertainty surrounding his future.

The transfer will take Newcastle’s income from player sales this summer to more than £240 million, following the departures of Anthony Gordon to Barcelona and Sandro Tonali to Tottenham.