Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes set to join Arsenal in £80m deal | OneFootball

Newcastle United have reached an agreement with Arsenal over the transfer of midfielder Bruno Guimaraes in a deal worth up to £80 million (ESPN).

The Premier League champions have agreed to pay an initial £70m, with a further £10m tied to performance-related bonuses. 

The move is expected to be completed once the final formalities are finalised, with Guimaraes set to sign a long-term contract.

He is also set to undergo a medical on Monday before the transfer is officially announced. 

Newcastle have been picked apart this summer, with Guimaraes the latest key figure on the way out of St James’ Park.

They had already lost Anthony Gordon to Barcelona and Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur before manager Eddie Howe’s shock departure was announced.

With Guimaraes on his way out, Newcastle will need significant investment to rebuild an already depleted squad to boost their chances of competing at the top end of the table this season.

They’ve already sorted out their managerial dilemma, with Matthias Jassle set to replace Howe.

Guimaraes’ desire to join Arsenal reportedly played a huge role in helping the transfer move forward, while Newcastle were prepared to consider offers after missing out on Champions League football.

The Brazilian has been a talismanic figure for Newcastle since joining from Olympique Lyon in a deal worth around £40m in 2022.

Guimaraes subsequently established himself as one of the team’s leaders and a fan favourite.

He’s also considered one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, which explains why Arsenal were ready to pay a premium fee to secure his services.

Despite missing two months of last season through injury, the Brazilian still finished as Newcastle’s top Premier League goalscorer with nine goals.

He’d become Arsenal’s third signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Greek winger Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge and goalkeeper Illan Meslier, who joined on a free transfer after leaving Leeds United.