Brazil v Japan: Round Of 32 - FIFA World Cup 2026
Bruno Guimaraes has impressed for Brazil during their World Cup campaign (Picture: Getty)
Alan Shearer has made an emphatic prediction over the future of Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes amid mounting speculation he will join Arsenal this summer.
The Brazil international has been Arsenal’s radar ever since he broke through at his boyhood club Athletico Paranaense and missed out on signing him when he joined Newcastle from Lyon four-and-a-half years ago.
Despite having invested heavily in rebuilding his midfield over the course of the last three transfer windows, Mikel Arteta is again determined to add an extra dimension to his engine room.
Arsenal are already understood to have held talks with the 28-year-old’s representatives and are growing increasingly confident of striking an agreement with a potential offer of £65million.
Newcastle, for their part, are determined to keep hold of a player who has been integral to their recent success under Eddie Howe, but last season’s underwhelming campaign, which saw them fail to qualify for Europe, has left the Magpies vulnerable.
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Howe is already facing a losing battle in his attempts to keep hold of Bruno’s midfield partner Sandro Tonali and Shearer believes it would represent terrible optics were his former club to sell two of their leading lights in the same window.
He told Betfair: ‘I think it would look be a really poor look for Newcastle to sell their best player. You can see what he’s doing for Brazil in this World Cup. I think he’s been one of their best players.
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Arsenal believe they can sign Bruno Guimaraes for £65million (Picture: Getty)
‘He is a brilliant talent. And with Anthony Gordon going, I think it would be a really poor look if Newcastle were to sell Bruno. And it would not go down well with the fans.
‘I don’t see it happening. I’d be surprised if it were to happen. I hope it’s just paper talk and there’s no truth in that because it would be a big blow to Newcastle. There’d be a lot of angry fans if he were to go.
I’ think it’s even more so now because of social media and everyone has an opinion and everyone can say what they want. 99% of it is going to be trash, and I do hope it’s trash about Bruno.’
The prospect of Bruno linking up with Arteta’s current array of forwards had Arsenal fans salivating after Brazil’s latest World Cup victory against Japan.
Gabriel Martinelli scored an injury time winner against the Blue Samurai, which set-up a last 16 tie against Norway, after he had been located in a packed penalty area by Bruno’s incisive pass.
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Bruno Guimaraes registered the assist for Brazil’s winning goal against Japan (Picture: Getty)
‘Man, I don’t even have words to describe it,’ Martinelli said after scoring the most important goal of his international career.
‘It’s the joy that is in my heart now, seeing all the Brazilian people happy with the qualification, my family there, my wife, my mother, my father, my friends.
‘I can’t even explain to you what I’m feeling now. I think it will only sink in after some time.
Martinelli had come close in Brazil’s previous match, striking the post, and said he always believed another chance would fall his way.
‘I was speaking with my family the other day,’ he said. ‘I hit a ball against the post. I knew I would have another opportunity and, thank God, today I managed to score the goal that got us through.
‘I’m very happy for the match from the whole team, who gave everything for the whole game. No words. No words.’
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