Arsenal target Guimaraes asks to leave Newcastle
Bruno Guimaraes has asked to leave Newcastle, with Arsenal accelerating their interest in the midfielder.
The Brazil international, who arrived from Lyon in 2022, has been a player of interest for the Premier League champions this summer.
The Gunners had looked into approaches for either Guimaraes or his former team-mate Sandro Tonali, who has now joined Tottenham for an initial £92.5m, as they look to bolster their midfield.
During discussions aimed at checking the financial conditions of a deal for Guimaraes, it is understood a fee of around £60m was initially intimated with the 28-year-old's representatives.
Although Newcastle have had no direct contact from Arsenal, Mikel Arteta's side are now poised to make a fresh offer for Guimaraes, who missed a penalty for Brazil as they exited the World Cup in the last 16 to Norway on Sunday.
As things stand, it is understood Arsenal only want one leading central midfielder, with Bournemouth's Alex Scott and Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi also being considered.
Newcastle do not want to lose Guimaraes, the team's captain and talisman, having already sold Italy international Tonali and Anthony Gordon in this transfer window.
As well as Tonali, there have been major sales of midfielders so far this summer, including Manchester City agreeing a club-record £116m deal with Nottingham Forest for England's Elliot Anderson and West Ham's Mateus Fernandes also joining Tottenham for £85m.
With Guimaraes turning 29 in November, the age of the Brazilian is likely to emerge as a key factor in how much Arsenal would be willing to pay.
The arrival of a central midfielder will lead to the sale of a current player in the same position, with Denmark's Christian Norgaard, 32, someone the club will listen to offers for.
It could also bring into question Martin Zubimendi's role as a regular starter in Arteta's starting XI next season.
Analysis - Losing Guimaraes would be beyond damaging
It was a statement which was a little revealing, in hindsight.
"A very frustrating season, and without a doubt we are all very disappointed," Guimaraes wrote on Instagram after Newcastle's 2-0 defeat against Fulham on the final day of the season.
"You fans definitely did not deserve this."
Newcastle ended up finishing in 12th place in the Premier League, failing to qualify for Europe, let alone the Champions League.
Tonali and Gordon have since left, meaning Newcastle have lost three key players in less than a year following Alexander Isak's protracted move to Liverpool last summer.
A shift in strategy has led to Newcastle targeting promising players aged 20 and under on the continent, such as Bazoumana Toure, who will naturally need a little time to flourish.
Guimaraes would be the ideal figure to help lead this rebuild for Newcastle as the club's captain, talisman and heartbeat.
Yet this is clearly a delicate juncture in his career as he approaches his 29th birthday.
Could it be one of his last chances to go somewhere else and compete for some of the biggest prizes in the game?
Guimaraes, ideally, hoped to do so at Newcastle one day, having talked of the club's ambition to be a "big power" following his move from Lyon in 2022.
So losing him would be beyond damaging and call the whole project into question.
Given the going rate for midfielders, Newcastle would be in a strong position to command a premium for the Brazil starter, far more than the £60m mooted.
But no one at the club will want to contemplate such a thought. Guimaraes really is priceless to this side.
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