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**Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is “very strong” on not overpaying for players, according to _The Athletic_‘s David Ornstein.**
Newcastle have already rejected several offers for their captain Bruno Guimaraes, and speaking about the Gunners’ pursuit of the Brazilian, Ornstein was keen to emphasise that the Premier League champions will not pay over the odds for the player:
“I think there’s a feeling around the Emirates and Arsenal that that’s a deal that they would like to make happen. Newcastle’s stance to this point has been that he’s not for sale, we’re not entertaining any offers, so there’s a lot that needs to be done at Arsenal, but I don’t sense they’re rushing.”
“They feel they’ve got time because they’ve already built the foundations, and then it will be about trying to get the right players for the right prices. From what we hear, Andrea Berta is very strong on that, not overpaying for players and spinning multiple plates and deciding which ones are the right sort of avenues to pursue.”
Guimaraes is pushing to leave St James’ Park
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The 28-year-old is said to have agreed personal terms with Arsenal, and he reportedly even handed in a transfer request.
Whether that will be enough for Newcastle to soften their stance and start formal talks over a deal, we shall have to wait and see.
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Why are Arsenal so keen to sign the player?
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It is believed that manager Mikel Arteta is the driving force behind the move. He has been a big fan of the midfielder for several years.
Adding more options in the middle of the park is also seen as a priority for the summer transfer window, with both Declan Rice and (to a lesser extent) Martin Zubimendi having been overplayed last season.
Arteta did not particularly trust Christian Norgaard, with the Dane having started just one Premier League match. He only arrived from Brentford a year ago, but he could be sold over the coming weeks. Guimaraes could be brought in as his replacement.