Newcastle line up Man Utd target as Bruno Guimaraes talks gives Arsenal ‘confidence’ of £80m deal | OneFootball

Newcastle are ‘interested’ in signing Manchester United target Felix Nmecha as they brace themselves for a second Arsenal bid for captain Bruno Guimaraes.

Earlier this week, German reporter Patrick Berger revealed that Man Utd are making a move for Nmecha, with club chiefs ‘stepping up their pursuit’.

Berger said on X: ‘Manchester United are stepping up their pursuit of Felix Nmecha (25/🇩🇪). Christopher Vivell, #MUFC Director of Recruitment, remains in close contact with the player’s camp.

‘Manchester City, Liverpool and Real Madrid are all keeping a close eye on the situation. A move to the Premier League is viewed as a realistic option in the future. But for now Nmecha is happy at Dortmund and fully focused on the World Cup with Germany.

‘With the start of the new season, Nmecha is set to move into the salary bracket previously occupied by Niklas Süle.’

Ben Jacobs then poured cold water on United’s move for the 25-year-old, explaining why it would be a “difficult negotiation” for the Red Devils, and indeed other Premier League suitors.

“I’m not sure this is an easy transfer to do because of the high asking price. As a consequence, Premier League clubs that have been linked haven’t made any formal moves yet,” Jacobs told Betway.

“Liverpool and Manchester United both have other targets at the moment. I think this is going to prove a difficult negotiation, and it’s an asking price that is likely to rise as the summer progresses and after the World Cup.

“As a result, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Liverpool are all clubs that have been linked with a potential move. Liverpool are focused on Yan Diomande and other wide attacking options that offer pace, such as Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Said El Mala, Yankuba Minteh, and Bradley Barcola.

“With Manchester United, they are looking to strengthen on the left side, and most of their targets have proven Premier League experience. More importantly, the bulk of Manchester United’s budget is going to go first and foremost on another midfielder.

“Tottenham are working on central midfield, and over on the left wing, they’d like to add Savinho. Crysencio Summerville is also on their list. Arsenal and Nmecha is really only a historical link, and at the moment, I’m not aware of him being a target for Mikel Arteta’s side.

“So, there is a lot of buzz, and there could be a bidding war after the World Cup, but don’t rule out him staying at Borussia Dortmund either because of the high asking price hovering above Nmecha’s head, which is only going to get bigger and bigger as the World Cup progresses.”

Newcastle enter race amid Guimaraes flirting

But perhaps as a consequence of Sandro Tonali’s seemingly imminent exit – likely to Tottenham – and amid reports of a second Arsenal bid for Bruno Guimaraes, Newcastle are also ‘interested’ in Nmecha, according to Sky Sports.

Eddie Howe ‘is a fan’ of the midfielder and considered signing him in 2023, before signing Tonali from AC Milan.

Newcastle would be looking to pay less than his €85m (£75.5m) buy-out, though that stance ‘may change’ if one or both of Tonali and Guimaraes depart St James’ Park this summer.

Reports emerged of Arsenal making a first bid worth £55m for Guimaraes on Friday and our friends at TEAMtalk claim a they ‘are now working towards making an offer in the region of £80million’ for the Brazilian.

That’s after holding ‘extensive talks’ with the midfielder and his representatives in recent weeks, which ‘have left them increasingly confident that a deal could be possible if an agreement can be reached with Newcastle’.

The Gunners are now ‘focused’ on Guimaraes rather than Tonali as they seek to bolster Mikel Arteta’s midfield options this summer.

The report adds: