Arsenal appear to be on the verge of landing one of the summer's most sought-after midfielders. ONE reports, citing French outlet L'Équipe, that the Premier League champions are in the final stages of a deal to sign Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimarães, with the transfer expected to be wrapped up within days.
The two clubs have reached an agreement in principle around a base fee of €90 million, according to the report. Bonus payments on top of that figure, along with agent fees, are still being ironed out, but the framework of the deal is said to be in place.
It has been a drawn-out negotiation. Newcastle rejected two earlier Arsenal offers, worth €70 million and €80 million respectively, as they held out for a fee closer to €100 million for their 28-year-old captain. The Gunners' improved bid appears to have finally bridged the gap.
Guimarães, for his part, is reported to have made the move to north London his priority over the past month, with personal terms on a five-year contract already understood to be agreed between player and club.
The Brazilian has been one of the standout central midfielders in the Premier League since arriving at St James' Park from Lyon in January 2022 for an initial €50 million. He has since become Newcastle's captain and a fixture for Brazil, winning 48 caps and starring at this summer's World Cup, where he scored four goals and was named his country's outstanding player.
Should the move go through, Lyon stand to benefit as well. ONE and L'Équipe report that Guimarães' former club are due more than €8 million through a sell-on clause written into the original transfer that took him to Tyneside.
For Arsenal, adding Guimarães would represent a significant statement of intent from Mikel Arteta's newly-crowned champions, reinforcing a midfield already at the core of last season's title triumph. For Newcastle, losing their captain and on-field leader would be a blow, even at a fee that reflects his standing as one of the league's premier holding midfielders.
Nothing has been confirmed by either club, and as with any deal still being negotiated, the final numbers and timing could yet shift. But the direction of travel, per ONE's report, points firmly toward Guimarães swapping Newcastle black-and-white for Arsenal red.
