Bruno Guimaraes is understood to have a release clause in his Newcastle United contract that could see him leave for a set fee this summer. Reports from Brazilian media outlet Globo indicate that the clause is set at £60m, a figure confirmed by sources close to the deal, after Newcastle failed to qualify for the Champions League.
Arsenal's Interest and Newcastle's Stance
Although Newcastle have not officially confirmed the clause, and have yet to receive any formal approach, interest from Arsenal has been acknowledged. Toon chiefs have made it clear that the club does not want to sell their influential skipper. Bruno has previously had escape clauses in his contract that expire after a certain time, including a £100m exit option that timed out in June 2024 amid interest from Manchester City and Arsenal.
Were that to be the case again, Arsenal would be left with a narrow window to trigger the exit. As of Sunday lunchtime, the Gunners had not tabled a formal bid. ChronicleLive understands that a price of £45m was suggested via intermediaries, but this was swiftly dismissed as Newcastle are not interested in losing a key player.
Newcastle's Transfer Strategy
Newcastle have made it clear they will only sell players on their terms this summer. CEO David Hopkinson addressed journalists back in March with a strong message: 'We think through what players might or might not want to do this summer. But if an Isak-like scenario presents itself again, any player under contract is going to leave on our terms and we’re going to maximise the opportunity that might represent for the club.'
Hopkinson also suggested that star names would have to be sold to fund marquee signings, stating: 'We can do that. But we might not be able to do that without selling somebody.'
Bruno's Commitment and Manager's View
Bruno's stance on his future at Newcastle is yet to surface, but manager Eddie Howe stated in March that his captain was committed to the black and white cause. After being linked with Manchester United in the spring, Howe said: 'To say our captain is in discussions with another club is totally disrespectful to Bruno more than anything else. He is totally committed here.'
