Arsenal are exploring the possibility of signing a marquee midfielder.
The Gunners are eager to add more quality in the heart of the midfield and have identified Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes as their priority target.
No formal bid has been made, but HandofArsenal, who exclusively broke the Cristhian Mosquera story last summer, has revealed that the Magpies have called Arsenal to ask about their stance.
Sporting director Andrea Berta is currently working with super-agent Kia Joorabchian to secure a fair value for the 28-year-old’s transfer. The Magpies are aiming for a minimum of £80-85 million.
Guimaraes is ‘fully sold’ on the project and is awaiting his agents and Joorabchian to handle the situation.
Arsenal not giving up on Guimaraes
Newcastle have had an eventful summer. They have sold Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali to Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur for a combined £170m.
There have been a couple of setbacks too. The Magpies were close to landing Victor Munoz and Johan Manzambi, only for Liverpool and Aston Villa to hijack those deals.
The Tyneside outfit are now facing a difficult decision on Guimaraes. Their talismanic captain has expressed his desire to join Arsenal during the transfer window.
The Magpies previously set a staggering £100m price tag for his services, but may have come down from that figure due to the midfielder’s ambition to pursue a bigger challenge.
Newcastle still have the option to extend Guimaraes’ contract until June 2029, but given his current age, they may struggle to secure a high premium fee beyond this summer.
Hence, the reported £80-85m price tag could be true, but the big question remains whether Arsenal would be prepared to meet such a hefty valuation for the 28-year-old.
Guimaraes had a top 2025/26 season with the Magpies in the Premier League despite a lengthy injury. He made 15 goal contributions and also impressed with his defensive work.
The former Lyon man won six duels and two tackles per game with almost five recoveries. He would be a perfect partner for Declan Rice and could also play as the lone holding midfielder.
The current price represents a risk for a player who will turn 29 in November. Still, he would be a level-raiser at his present ability and would boost Arsenal’s chances of defending the Premier League title.
Stats from Sofascore