Newcastle have effectively confirmed Bruno Guimaraes' move to Arsenal, with an official transfer announcement imminent. The transfer saga of the summer was closed this week after the Gunners and Newcastle finally opened club-to-club talks before agreeing a fee for the Brazil international.
Deal details
It is understood that the deal is worth around £75million that could rise as high as £80m, making Guimaraes the third arrival at the Emirates Stadium this summer after Illan Meslier and Christos Tzolis.
While the transfer is yet to be announced by either club, Newcastle chief executive David Hopkinson has suggested Arsenal had hoped to pay a smaller fee for the 28-year-old.
"You're dealing with very sophisticated actors on each side," he said. "That's what negotiation looks like."
"It's a fee that satisfies us. If you want to put a merchandising spin on it, it's the highest fee for a player in that position at that age, and all those things come into play."
What Arsenal are getting
All but confirming the deal is done, Hopkinson revealed what type of player Arsenal are signing.
"Is it a good deal for Newcastle United? I believe it is, but Arsenal are getting a very special player and person," he added.
"It's worked from a financial perspective for both sides."
Emotional farewell
Meanwhile, Newcastle sporting director Ross Wilson has confirmed Guimaraes was "very emotional" in telling the club he wanted to join the Premier League champions, with the captain bidding a tearful farewell to his team-mates and staff before leaving the club's pre-season training camp in Spain.
"What we had to weigh up was, very respectfully from Bruno with his behaviour towards us, very emotionally as well, he effectively told us he wanted to leave and move on," Wilson said.
"That doesn't mean he can go, but it certainly plays a part in what our thinking is when we hit a certain range of number."
"There's no part in saying it was part of our strategy and was in our thinking this summer - it wasn't."
"But we have got to be flexible and react to things that happen."
