Reports from Brazil claim Arsenal have completed the £80million signing of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United, with an initial £70m plus a further £10m in add-ons. However, claims from the north-east insist that no such agreement has been struck.
No official confirmation
ESPN Brasil reported that the 29-year-old midfielder is set to join Mikel Arteta's side and has all-but-completed a move to the Emirates. It was also claimed he has signed a long-term contract, although no precise details of the deal's length were provided.
Neither Newcastle, Arsenal nor the player himself have issued official confirmation. ChronicleLive has dismissed the Brazilian outlet's claims outright.
Pre-season uncertainty
Guimaraes had been due to join his Newcastle team-mates in La Manga for a pre-season training camp, but may no longer be required. He is yet to hold face-to-face talks with incoming head coach Matthias Jaissle, who is replacing Eddie Howe at St James' Park.
According to reports, Guimaraes will report for pre-season training alongside his team-mates from Monday until a deal has been agreed. Arsenal have been locked in behind-the-scenes negotiations with the Magpies.
Another blow for Newcastle
The Daily Mail had reported that a £77m agreement in principle had been reached, and that Arsenal were growing so confident they had pencilled in a date for a medical. Should a transfer be finalised, it would represent another damaging blow for Newcastle, who have already lost Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali to Barcelona and Tottenham, as well as saying farewell to long-serving manager Howe.
Following Howe's resignation, reports suggested the Englishman had accepted that losing Guimaraes this summer was inevitable. The midfielder also wrote a heartfelt tribute to Howe, the man who brought him to England from Lyon.
In a lengthy letter to Howe, Guimaraes said: "Ed, how could I ever put into words how grateful I am to you? First of all, I want to thank you for bringing me to this club. Thank you for everything you've done for me, for helping me grow not only as a player, but more importantly, as a person. You gave me the honour of being captain - of being your captain. That is something I will never forget and will carry with me for the rest of my life. Sharing the day-to-day with you and having you as my manager has been a privilege. I'm truly grateful for every opportunity, for the trust you placed in me, and for every moment we shared together. Without a doubt, you are one of the best managers I've ever had. Please know that my gratitude will always remain, and that you will always have a friend in me."
