via Reuters
Arsenal and Newcastle United have reached an agreement on a £77m deal for midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, according to L'Equipe.
The Gunners have been pursuing a deal for the Brazil international for much of the summer transfer window, but the Magpies had been insistent that their captain wasn't for sale.
However, Guimaraes asked the Newcastle board to allow him to leave, and an agreement has now been found on a transfer fee as Arsenal look to bolster their squad for the defence of their Premier League title.
Arsenal and Newcastle Agree £77m Guimaraes Deal
via Reuters
According to a report by journalist Hugo Guillemet, the two clubs have reached an agreement on a deal worth €90m (£77m) for the 28-year-old midfield star.
The former Lyon star has agreed a contract until 2031 at the Emirates Stadium, and now only the final details remain before a deal is completed. The agreement comes after Arsenal had a number of verbal offers rejected, with Newcastle holding out for a fee of around €100m (£86m) previously, having already sold Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali this summer.
Agent fees also need to be agreed before a deal is completed, but an agreement in principle between the clubs is the biggest hurdle which has now been overcome.
The agreement comes just one day after Newcastle manager Eddie Howe resigned from his post, with Matthias Jaissle set to replace him at St James' Park.
Arsenal have been keen to add to their midfield to add competition and depth alongside Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi, and they have now sealed a deal for their top target.
Arsenal Can Focus on Attack
REUTERS/Phil Noble via Action Images
Arsenal have already brought in Christos Tzolis to strengthen their attack this summer, but the club are still in the market for a marquee name, with Vinicius Jr one of the key names linked.
With a deal for the midfielder now all but done, the club can turn their full attention to getting a deal done in their attack, with Mikel Arteta looking to make history by winning consecutive league titles for the first time in their history.
Newcastle must start to work towards replacing their talismanic captain now, but they won't be able to spend the full fee on someone as they need to give 20% to Lyon. That's another blow for the Magpies, but Arsenal can continue their rebuild having secured their top target.