Bruno Guimarães wants to go to Arsenal, and Fabrizio Romano says personal terms would not be an issue. The harder part is Newcastle's price. Arsenal have already had bids of £55m and £65m rejected, and the talks are now said to be moving toward a fee between £65m and £90m.

Newcastle's price remains the problem

Romano's line on the player side was clear enough. "Bruno Guimaraes wants to be respectful with Newcastle. If Newcastle can reach an agreement with Arsenal, Bruno will be happy to go to Arsenal. If this doesn't happen, Bruno Guimaraes will not create problems to Newcastle," he said.

He also put a number on the starting point for talks. "My understanding, sources involved and close to the story say that a transfer fee maybe around £90million could be the beginning of the discussion." Newcastle are said to value him at £100m, so there is still a gap between what Arsenal have tested and what Newcastle want.

Guimarães is 28 and, according to the report, will soon turn 29. That keeps the negotiation in a straightforward place, Arsenal are paying for a proven midfielder rather than gambling on a cheap upside move.

Why the deal is still alive

The reporting does not paint this as a break-up story. Romano said Guimarães wants Arsenal and that he will not create problems if the move does not happen, which suggests a player open to the switch without trying to force it.

That fits a deal that is still live, but only if Arsenal decide to go much higher than their earlier offers. Newcastle have already shown they are prepared to reject lower bids, and the £90m level is still being described as the opening of discussion, not the finish line.

The broader club context also points to a hard negotiation. Arsenal finished 1st in the Premier League with 85 points, so this is not an urgent rebuild signing. Newcastle finished 12th with 49 points, and losing a key midfielder while trying to move back up the table is not a decision they will take lightly. The next move, if there is one, will tell us whether Arsenal are serious about matching Newcastle's stance or whether this one settles into a longer summer standoff.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →