Bruno Guimaraes to Arsenal transfer twist as major new update revealed | OneFootball

Gunners want to sign Newcastle captain and Brazil team-mate Vinicius Jr

Bruno Guimaraes is reportedly flying out to join Newcastle’s pre-season training camp in Spain, despite claims over an imminent medical at Arsenal.

It was reported on Sunday that the Brazil midfielder was likely to undergo a medical with Arsenal on Monday as he closes in on a transfer worth around £80million.

However, Sky Sports reported on Monday morning that Guimaraes was actually en route to join the Newcastle squad at their base in La Manga instead.

Per The Chronicle, it is believed that Guimaraes - who is understood to have informed Newcastle in July of his desire to join Arsenal - left his native Brazil for Spain on a commercial flight on Sunday night, as agreed with the club.

The Newcastle captain is now expected to hold talks over his future with new head coach Matthias Jaissle, who is with the players in Spain despite his official confirmation as the successor to Eddie Howe being held up by a paperwork issue.

Newcastle had been said to be planning for life without Guimaraes, linked with a raft of potential replacements for their influential skipper, including Inter Milan and Croatia midfielder Petar Sucic.

Guimaraes’ return to Newcastle training on Monday will mirror that of Brazil team-mate and fellow Arsenal transfer target Vinicius Jr.

Arsenal are ready to launch an ambitious move for Vinicius Jr amid his ongoing contract stand-off with Real Madrid, where he now has left than 12 months to run on his existing deal.

However, Madrid boss Jose Mourinho confirmed after Saturday’s 2-2 friendly draw with Fiorentina in Austria that Vinicius Jr would report back for training on Monday as expected, alongside Brahim Diaz and new recruit Bernardo Silva, and he was pictured arriving at the club’s complex in Valdebebas.

Arsenal have made only two new signings so far this summer as they prepare for their Premier League title defence, spending £34million on Greek winger Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge as well as adding free agent goalkeeper Illan Meslier following his exit from Leeds.

The Gunners also triggered their £34.5m option to convert Ecuador defender Piero Hincapie’s season-long loan move from Bayer Leverkusen into a permanent transfer.