Arsenal are pushing to land Bruno Guimaraes but their offer is set to land well short of Newcastle's value as the Magpies push on with their captain being central to their plans
Bruno Guimaraes has told Newcastle he wants to leave
Bruno Guimaraes has told Newcastle he wants to leave(Image: Getty )
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Newcastle will reject Arsenal's £70million bid for Bruno Guimaraes as they continue to fight to keep their captain, according to reports.
The Gunners are increasing their efforts to sign the Brazilian, who has been given a extended period off by the Magpies following his summer involvement in the World Cup. However the player has told the club he wants out of St James' Park.
Contact between Arsenal and Newcastle has been limited as they go through third parties, but the Evening Standard understands their expected offer of £70m will be swiftly turned down with their Premier League rivals not entertaining anything below £80m.
Personal terms are not expected to be an issue for Arsenal as Guimaraes is keen on making the switch to north London, but getting Newcastle to sanction the initial sale is going to prove a challenge as they dig their heels in to retain their captain following a raft of summer exits.
Already Newcastle have lost Anthony Gordon, who joined Barcelona after a poor season for the club. That put them under financial pressure to sell and a major name was always likely to exit. However the later departure of Sandro Tonali, who joined Tottenham in a £100m deal, was more of a surprise.
It means in the last 12 months Newcastle have lost Gordon, Tonali and Alexander Isak - who would've been among their three best players previously. Seeing Guimaraes leave would call the ambition of their project into question.
Guimaraes statement of intent
Newcastle though could not have made it more clear that they see their Brazilian star sticking around following their kit launch. He was central during the launch of their new away kit on Thursday in a clear statement of their intent. The unveiling video starts with the words: "What does the future of Newcastle United look like to us?"
The Magpies will be loathed to see another player leave this summer with Sandro Tonali already departing
The Magpies will be loathed to see another player leave this summer with Sandro Tonali already departing(Image: Getty Images)
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The 28-year-old is expected to report for Newcastle training next week and is expected to travel to La Manga for the club's pre-season camp in Spain. Last summer they saw Isak go on strike in a bid to secure his move to Liverpool, but it would be a massive surprise if Guimaraes repeated that trick.
The former Lyon man was signed in the first transfer window of the Saudi-era at Newcastle and has been a driving force behind their subsequent success. Last season he scored nine times in the Premier League - more than any of his team-mates. Arsenal see him as the ideal midfielder to drive them forward to successive titles as they also look to take the last step in Europe.