Arsenal are preparing to intensify talks with Newcastle United over Bruno Guimaraes, as they look to finally secure the Brazilian midfielder. It has been a lengthy saga between the two clubs this summer, with the Gunners keen on welcoming reinforcements to their engine room.
That is despite the Magpies ultimately telling all interested parties that their captain is not for sale for any price. A shining light last season at St James' Park, Guimaraes has seen a wealth of attention in the current window.
However, having already lost Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur and Anthony Gordon to Barcelona, Newcastle are eager to retain at least a portion of their foundation. Arsenal, however, have other ideas.
Personal terms agreed
It is understood that while no official discussions have begun, talkSPORT claim that Guimaraes has already reached an agreement on personal terms with the Gunners.
Andrea Berta's board are also reportedly prepared to offer at least £70 million for the 28-year-old in the coming weeks, with sources additionally informing the publication that three verbal proposals have already been submitted by the North London club.
That is despite senior figures on Tyneside insisting that no official approach has been lodged as yet. Under contract until 2028, Newcastle are in no hurry to part with their captain, meaning they can essentially command whatever fee they desire to permit his departure.
Howe's stance
While Eddie Howe is determined to keep Guimaraes at the club ahead of the new campaign, the manager has conceded that the final decision ultimately lies beyond his control.
Speaking at the weekend, he said: "I've spoken to him as I would do. Bruno, normally, is just a fantastic person. We've had some really good conversations, both before the World Cup, during the World Cup and after the World Cup. What we speak about obviously has to remain private."
He added: "He's just a great player and a great person. Look, I don't know what's going to happen with Bruno's future. That's for other people to, one, speculate about, but also conversations that I'm not part of. We don't want to lose our best players. That's an obvious statement to make. Losing those big two [Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali] is painful for us and difficult. For me, it's been another challenging summer so far."
It comes as Arsenal seek to strengthen their midfield, having already missed out on Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, who opted for Chelsea earlier this month.
