Bruno Guimarães is moving towards Arsenal. Fabrizio Romano says the midfielder has agreed terms, Newcastle have internally accepted he will leave, and the deal is now waiting on fee approval before medical tests can be arranged.

Newcastle's shift on Guimaraes

Romano's wording was blunt. "Get ready, Arsenal fans, get ready because Bruno Guimaraes is really, really, really getting closer," he said on football365.com, before adding that Newcastle had "internally accepted to let Bruno leave".

That is a big step for a player who has been central to them. One separate report says he has two years left on his contract with a club option for another year, so this is not a case of Newcastle being forced by timing alone. It is a choice, and the club appear to have made it.

The wider picture at Newcastle also helps explain why the noise around this move has sharpened. Alexander Isak forced through a British-record move to Liverpool last summer, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali have been sold during the current window, and Eddie Howe stepped down as head coach on Friday.

Arsenal's midfield plan

Romano also said Guimaraes already has an agreement with Arsenal on personal terms and is "super excited about this opportunity". That fits with the idea that Arsenal see him as the midfielder to help Martín Zubimendi and Declan Rice next season.

The fit is easy to understand. Guimaraes has a 7.11 rating across 5 appearances this season, with 4 goal contributions in those games. He is not being chased as a vanity signing or a long-term project, and Arsenal's recent form, five wins in a row in all competitions, means they are trying to add him to a team already moving well.

The fee is still the part that needs settling. Reports vary between north of £75m, in excess of £80m, and £70m plus £10m in add-ons. That range is messy, but the direction is not. Arsenal are talking, Newcastle are open to it, and the next formal step is the approval that would send Guimaraes for medical tests.

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