Arsenal have struck a deal with Newcastle United to sign Bruno Guimarães for a fee in the region of £75m, ending a protracted transfer saga that dominated much of the summer window. The Brazilian midfielder is set to leave Newcastle's pre-season training camp in La Manga, southern Spain, and travel to London in the coming days to complete a medical before formally putting pen to paper.
The two clubs had been locked in negotiations for weeks, with Arsenal initially reluctant to pay more than £60m for their prime midfield target, while Newcastle held out for a fee closer to £80m. The compromise figure of £75m appears to have satisfied both parties, allowing the move to progress toward completion.
Guimarães, who turns 29 in November, joined Newcastle from Lyon in January 2022 for around £38m, meaning the Magpies stand to make a substantial profit on their initial investment. Lyon are also set to benefit financially, with a sell-on clause entitling the French club to 20% of any profit Newcastle generate from the sale, a windfall estimated at around £7m.
The departure represents a significant blow for Newcastle, who have already seen Anthony Gordon move to Barcelona and Sandro Tonali join Tottenham this summer. Guimarães has been an instrumental figure at St James' Park, making 153 league appearances in which he scored 30 goals and provided 26 assists. He captained the side to their League Cup triumph in 2025 and helped Newcastle qualify for the Champions League on two occasions under Eddie Howe. Reports suggest his exit could be felt even more keenly by supporters than Alexander Isak's move to Liverpool last year.
Despite Newcastle having no financial necessity to sell given their recent business, the club were ultimately unable to keep hold of their captain once his intentions became clear. Guimarães made his desire to leave known even before Howe departed as manager last week. He reportedly met with incoming head coach Matthias Jaissle in La Manga on Monday and used the opportunity to reiterate that he wanted to move on, telling the new boss he could not be talked out of his decision. Unlike Isak's turbulent departure last summer, the split between player and club is understood to have remained amicable throughout.
Arsenal's pursuit of the Brazilian stems from a perceived need to add depth and quality to their central midfield options. With Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi both logging heavy minutes across more than 50 matches last season, manager Mikel Arteta identified Guimarães as an ideal signing capable of both partnering and relieving the existing pair. The Brazilian has long been regarded as one of the Premier League's standout midfielders, and personal terms with Arsenal are understood to have been agreed for some time, with the transfer fee the final sticking point between the two clubs.
With the financial details now resolved, attention turns to the medical examination and the formalities required to complete Guimarães' move to the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal are reportedly hopeful of finalizing the signing within the next couple of days once the midfielder receives clearance to leave Newcastle's training base in Spain.
Based on reporting from Guardian Football, Standard Football, and BBC Sport.