‘Very odd’ Arsenal now ‘accelerating’ towards Guimaraes deal – but Newcastle are ‘mystified’ | OneFootball

Arsenal are now accelerating towards a deal to sign Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes this summer, according to reports.

The Gunners have so far brought in Illan Meslier from Leeds United on a free transfer, while Piero Hincapie turned his loan move into a permanent deal from Bayer Leverkusen.

Arsenal are now ready to step up their transfer activity in the coming weeks as Mikel Arteta looks to bring in quality over quantity ahead of the new season.

The hierarchy at Arsenal are on the verge of bringing in Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge after agreeing to sell Leandro Trossard to Besiktas this summer.

Arsenal are also targeting another attacking player after missing out on signing Morgan Rogers to Chelsea, while a midfield is another on their priority list.

In midfield, Guimaraes has flown to the top of their list this summer with rumours linking them to numerous players in that position over the summer.

Arsenal have already made bids to Newcastle for the Brazil international with the last offer worth £65m and Ben Jacobs reported earlier today that a deal is ‘accelerating’.

Jacobs posted on X: ‘Arsenal plan to bid again for Bruno Guimarães, as reported this morning. Although Newcastle deny direct formal talks to date, #AFC are accelerating their interest. Last offer via intermediaries was as high £65m. Arsenal expected to go north of £70m, and broad terms are already in place with Guimarães. Newcastle sources insist they want to keep Guimarães. One other Premier League club has made a recent enquiry as well on the player side.’

Jacobs added: ‘Arsenal accelerating their pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes, as reported this morning.’

Daily Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards insists that Newcastle are ‘mystified’ by reports of club-t0-club contact and the Magpies ‘do not welcome’ any bids from Arsenal.

Edwards wrote on X: ‘BREAKING Senior sources at Newcastle United are mystified by claims Arsenal have opened club to club talks over the signing of Bruno Guimaraes. They’ve not heard from anyone involved about a potential deal for more than a week. Newcastle’s stance remains the same and they will not lower their valuation. They do not welcome a bid and will inform Arsenal of their stance if they try to open club to club talks. They may well try to do so but nothing has changed at 1214 on Tuesday #nufc #arsenal.’

He added: ‘I can also report that these talks are not happening owner to owner either. Some seem to be suggesting nobody senior at Newcastle has had a conversation about Bruno for more than a week because it’s suddenly being done between Arsenal and PIF. Not club to club. Denied. Refuted. Rubbished #nufc #arsenal As things stand at 1454 on Tuesday.’

‘Arsenal are not making any friends at Newcastle’

Edwards frustrated some on X, as he suggested that Arsenal were disrespectful for continuing to pursue a deal for Guimaraes just a day or so after Newcastle legend Kevin Keegan had passed away.

The Newcastle reporter continued: ‘All this comes the day after Kevin Keegan died by the way. Arsenal are not making any friends at #nufc and this is a very odd way to go about trying to sign the captain and most important player of another club. There are other words I could use about their behaviour but I’ll maintain a rare sense of decorum.

‘For those asking why this matters, Newcastle hierarchy are currently discussing how to honour their club legend, trying to respect the family’s wishes and the whole club and city is in the process of collective grieving. In the background Arsenal and certain intermediaries are desperately trying to unsettle the club captain and drive down the asking price while failing to actually pick up the phone and have a conversation with anyone at Newcastle about it.’

Before rounding off his comments, by claiming Arsenal will have to reach Newcastle’s asking price to have a chance of a deal for Guimaraes this summer.

Edwards finished: ‘Another cracking day on this app. All good fun. Thanks for all your replies, jokes and abuse. I don’t control transfers, or football clubs. I just write about them. And if any of it upset me I wouldn’t be here. Maybe Arsenal sign Bruno in the end, maybe they don’t. But they’ve certainly gone about it the wrong way so far in my opinion. None of the unsettling tactics will work and if they don’t reach the asking price – which is very steep given the Brazilian’s importance to Newcastle – they won’t get him. Sometimes it’s that simple #nufc #arsenal.’