Mikel Arteta refused to discuss Bruno Guimaraes after Arsenal's 3-1 friendly defeat to Real Betis, despite a £75m fee being agreed with Newcastle for the midfielder.
The Gunners were beaten by their Spanish opponents on Wednesday night in a disappointing performance. Piero Hincapie's header from a corner was the only consolation for Arteta's side, who appeared rusty in Dublin.
Arsenal's quiet summer
Arsenal have been relatively quiet in the summer transfer window so far, with a £34m deal for Christos Tzolis and a free transfer for Illan Meslier the only major done deals. But they are soon to be boosted by the arrival of Guimaraes, who is set to undergo his medical in the coming days after a £75m fee was agreed with Newcastle.
The Brazil international is due in north London after leaving Newcastle's pre-season training camp in Spain and will replace Christian Norgaard, who joined Everton for £7m. The deal was agreed on Wednesday before Arsenal's defeat by Betis, but Arteta would not discuss it.
Arteta's response
"I'm not going to talk about any players who aren't Arsenal players," he said when first asked in his post-match press conference.
When pressed, he added: "Well, I can tell you at the moment that something happens and we can announce it. I will give you my straight answer."
While he won't yet say it, Guimaraes' arrival will come as a significant boost for Arsenal. The 28-year-old has 30 goals and 26 assists in 153 Premier League appearances for Newcastle and will add competition for places and leadership in midfield.
Transfer details
It is understood that he has had his heart set on Arsenal since hearing of their interest and his insistence forced Newcastle to sell. Arsenal initially offered £60m, while the Magpies wanted £80m for their captain, who had two years left on his contract. A compromise was reached at £75m.
Once Guimaraes has joined, Arsenal will turn their attention to signing a centre-back and another attacker. William Saliba's back injury has forced the Gunners into the market, with Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa a key target. However, the England international has two years left on his deal and is valued at £60m by Villa.
Vinicius Junior saga
Meanwhile, a move for Vinicius Junior hangs in the balance, with Real Madrid in delicate negotiations to try and extend his contract. Vinicius' current deal expires in June 2027 and he wants a pay increase to bring him closer to Kylian Mbappe's level.
Real are understood to have offered him an increase, but short of what the 26-year-old Brazilian was looking for. It remains to be seen if a compromise can be reached, but while Vinicius has raised eyebrows by deleting his Instagram posts, he has not stated a desire to leave this summer.
