Arsenal are close to completing the signing of a centre-back, with talks on this front said to be more advanced than the prospective deal for Bruno Guimaraes, according to ESPN Brazil journalist Bruno Andrade.
The Gunners have made multiple offers for Guimaraes now, as they look to pry Newcastle United's captain away from the north-east and to North London. The latest proposal is said to have been in the region of £70 million, and while there is optimism that an agreement can be reached, it's understood that this bid was still short of the Magpies' valuation.
This deal, along with Arsenal's audacious pursuit of Vinicius Junior, has grabbed the headlines in recent weeks.
However, Andrade claims the North Londoners are much more advanced in negotiations for a different transfer, with an unknown centre-back reportedly closing in on a switch to the Emirates.
Arsenal Closing in on Centre-Back Signing
Mikel Arteta Arsenal 2026REUTERS/Phil Noble via Action Images
William Saliba had been carrying a back injury for several months before the issue ended his World Cup in France's semi-final match against Spain. The defender hobbled off, and while he won't need surgery, he is expected to miss multiple months of action.
Arsenal have subsequently responded by making centre-back a priority position in the transfer market, despite the noise linking them to the likes of Guimaraes and Vinicius.
Speaking on ESPN Brazil, reporter Bruno Andrarde suggested that the Gunners are actually edging closer to completing the acquisition of a short-term Saliba replacement.
“I don’t have the name here, so I can’t call it an exclusive,” Andrade said. “But speaking to someone involved in Bruno Guimarães’ situation, Arsenal are close to signing a centre-back to solve, for now, the issue created by Saliba’s injury.”
“They haven’t given me the name yet. I’m trying to find out so I can help our English colleagues too, but it’s a deal that will happen even faster than the Bruno Guimarães transfer. It’s really imminent.”
More to follow...