Arsenal's push for Bruno Guimarães is already at the second-bid stage. An opening offer around £60m has been rejected, and the plan now is to go back in with something closer to £80m. Newcastle are still standing firm, and Guimaraes remains tied to the club until 2028.
Arsenal's rise from £60m to £80m
The first offer was not enough to change Newcastle's position. Reports have varied on the exact starting point, with figures described as around £60m, £55m and £55million, but the theme is the same: Arsenal moved early and were turned away.
That did not stop the pursuit. FootballTransfers reported that Guimaraes gave Arsenal the green light to explore a deal, which is why the next move matters more than the first one. Arsenal are now working on an improved proposal in the region of £80m, and Newcastle sources are still described as adamant that they do not want to sell one of their most influential players.
Guimaraes has also been in decent form on the pitch. He has 9 goals in 41 outings across all competitions, a return that helps explain why elite clubs are circling.
Newcastle's refusal and the wider interest
This is not just a two-club story. Liverpool and Barcelona are also said to be keen, while Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Inter Milan have been linked too. Newcastle's refusal to put a public valuation on the midfielder suggests they are not interested in making this easy.
The contract detail also cuts against any bargain-hunting approach. Guimaraes is under contract at Newcastle until 2028, so Arsenal are not dealing with a player who is close to the exit door by default. The next offer will tell us more, but Newcastle have so far made the same point in different ways: they do not want to sell.
If Arsenal do go to £80m, they will at least force a clearer answer from Newcastle. For now, the line remains the same, and the chasing clubs are the ones having to move first.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →