Bruno Guimaraes to Arsenal transfer twist as major new updates 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 Arsenal trying to finalise a deal for his services.

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 first 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 following his post-World Cup holiday.

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.

The Daily Telegraph have since reported that Arsenal have now opened direct club-to-club talks over Guimaraes with Newcastle, who have rejected their first bid as negotiations continue at pace and the player likely to reiterate his desire to make the switch when he joins up with Newcastle on Monday.

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 less 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 after his own post-World Cup break, 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 first Premier League title defence in more than two decades, spending £34m on Greek winger Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge as well as adding free agent goalkeeper Illan Meslier following his exit from Leeds.