The Italian journalist has delivered his verdicts on reports linking Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes with a move to Arsenal.
Fabrizio Romano has claimed Mikel Arteta is ‘driving’ Arsenal’s interest in Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes - but warned the Magpies have ‘no intention’ of allowing the Brazil international to leave the club.
The former Lyon midfielder has become a firm favourite with the St James Park faithful after joining Newcastle in a reported £35m deal during the January 2022 transfer window. Since making the move to Tyneside, Guimaraes has been integral in helping Eddie Howe’s side qualify for the Champions League on two occasions and became the first Magpies captain since Jimmy Scoular to lift a major domestic trophy when he skippered United to their Carabao Cup final win against Liverpool in March last year.
Brazil's midfielder #08 Bruno Guimaraes reacts after missing a goal opportunity during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between Brazil and Japan at the Houston Stadium in Houston on June 29, 2026. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images)placeholder image
Brazil's midfielder #08 Bruno Guimaraes reacts after missing a goal opportunity during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between Brazil and Japan at the Houston Stadium in Houston on June 29, 2026. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Guimaraes’ future at St James Park has been the subject of ongoing speculation and Arsenal, who initially tried to sign the midfielder prior to his move to Newcastle, are said to be keen to add the Brazilian to their Premier League-winning squad. Romano has claimed the imminent sale of Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur means Newcastle do not need to sell Guimaraes and warned it ‘won’t be easy’ for the Gunners to persuade them to do a deal.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said: "Obviously, Newcastle sold Sandro Tonali, Newcastle sold Anthony Gordon, so now Newcastle don't have any intention to let Bruno Guimarães go. At the same time, Arsenal had been rejected, £55m. Mikel Arteta is a big fan of the player, so what I can tell you, in addition to all of this, is that he really, really likes the player. Mikel Arteta was driving this interest for Bruno Guimaraes internally.
"It's not the first time Arsenal go for him. Even in the past, they were considering the possibility to go for Bruno Guimaraes, [he has] always been a player appreciated by Arteta. But now with Newcastle, it's not going to be an easy one at all, because Newcastle again made money with Gordon, made money with Tonali, and they already told Bruno Guimaraes, and they told people close to him that they want to keep the player, so it's not going to be easy at all for Arsenal to get it done."
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