Arsenal are pushing to make Bruno Guimarães a major summer move, but the deal is still stuck between a bid and a valuation. TeamTalk say Arsenal's last offer via intermediaries was £65m, with a third bid expected to go north of £70m. Newcastle, though, are holding out for a fee that starts with an eight.

Arsenal's approach so far

Sky Sports say Arsenal have not made direct contact with Newcastle, despite the reports of bids through intermediaries or middle-men. Keith Downie also said Newcastle have actually reached out and asked Arsenal, “Look, are you serious about this?”

That process matters because it explains why this is still a standoff rather than a finished move. Ben Jacobs said broad terms are already in place with Guimarães, but the contact between clubs has not matched the level of noise around the story. Newcastle sources, he added, still want to keep the midfielder.

Newcastle's asking price and replacement plan

Downie said Newcastle's tipping point starts with an eight, which points to £80m-plus. He also compared Guimarães to Sandro Tonali only in the sense that Newcastle got £100m for Tonali, while Guimarães is three years older and therefore valued a little less.

There is another layer here too. CaughtOffside say Newcastle are intensifying their interest in Hugo Larsson as a potential replacement, and that the club recognise Guimarães wants to go. The same report says they would not stand in his way if the price is right.

The shape of the story is familiar enough. Arsenal are prepared to keep moving, Newcastle want more than the first serious offer, and the gap sits between £65m and a figure beginning with an eight. Newcastle's season ended 12th in the Premier League on 49 points, while Arsenal finished top on 85, so the appeal of the switch is obvious without needing to dress it up. The next bid will tell you whether this is the point where Arsenal test Newcastle properly or just another round of noise around a player who clearly wants the move.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →