via Reuters
Newcastle United have agreed to shake hands with Arsenal on a deal to sell Bruno Guimaraes for a record-breaking fee, according to Lee Ryder.
The Magpies have been adamant they did not want to sell their captain this summer after already losing Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali for a combined fee of £170m, as they moved to Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur respectively.
But Arsenal have been pushing to find an agreement for the Brazilian, and after further talks in Spain, a deal is now on the verge of being agreed.
Newcastle Close to Agreement With Arsenal
via Reuters
According to Chronicle Live, Guimaraes flew out to La Manga to link up with his current teammates for pre-season training, but held talks with new manager Matthias Jaissle and club chiefs to discuss his future.
The 28-year-old confirmed his desire to leave St James' Park and move to the Premier League champions, with a deal until 2031 already agreed, and confirmed that he was not interested in discussing a new contract with the Magpies either.
Newcastle have now agreed to let him leave after talks with Arsenal reached a pivotal stage, and it's now expected that they will shake hands on a deal worth a fixed-fee of £75m - making him the most expensive ever midfielder in his age bracket.
Chronicle Live understands that the entire £75m fee will be paid up front and with zero add-ons, making the deal much more beneficial to Newcastle as they look to replace their star man, with the new manager faced with a major rebuild.
A medical is expected to take place later this week, and Newcastle will now turn their attentions towards the future.
Arsenal Level Up Title-Winning Midfield
Manuel Ugarte of Manchester Untied tries to tackle Bruno Guimaraes of Newcastle United
Arsenal won the Premier League as the best team in England last season, and they also reached the Champions League and Carabao Cup final. But by adding the former Lyon star to their midfield, they have managed to level up their squad.
Alongside Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi, plus Martin Odegaard, Eberechi Eze, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, the Gunners have got one of the deepest midfields around, and they have multiple different profiles for a number of scenarios.
Guimaraes will add leadership, ability and top-level experience to a team that is already winning, and Mikel Arteta has got his top target into the Emirates Stadium.