Bruno Guimaraes transfer truth as £80m Arsenal transfer ‘completed’ | Football | Sport
Arsenal have reportedly completed the £80million signing of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle, but claims from the north-east insist that no such agreement has been struck. It is claimed from Brazil that Mikel Arteta’s side are set to pay an initial £70m plus a further £10m in add-ons to the Magpies.
Guimaraes had been scheduled to join his Newcastle team-mates in La Manga for a pre-season training camp, but the 29-year-old may no longer be required. He is yet to hold face-to-face talks with incoming head coach Matthias Jaissle, who is replacing Eddie Howe at St James’ Park.
ESPN Brasil have claimed Arsenal have all-but-completed the transfer of Guimaraes from Newcastle. No official confirmation has yet been forthcoming from either Newcastle, Arsenal or the player himself.
It was also reported that the dynamic midfielder had penned a long-term contract at Emirates Stadium, though no precise details regarding the length of the deal were provided.
Guimaraes will report for pre-season training alongside his team-mates from this Monday until a deal has been agreed. Meanwhile, Arsenal have been locked in behind-the-scenes negotiations with the Magpies.
The Daily Mail had also reported that a £77m agreement in principle had been reached. It further claimed Arsenal were growing so confident about securing the South American that they had even pencilled in a date for a medical.
Should a transfer have been finalised, it would represent yet another damaging blow for Newcastle, who have already lost Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali to Barcelona and Tottenham respectively, while also bidding farewell to long-serving manager Howe.
Following Howe’s resignation, further reports suggested the Englishman had accepted that losing Guimaraes this summer was inevitable. The midfielder also penned a heartfelt tribute to Howe, the man responsible for bringing him to England from Lyon.
As part of a lengthy letter to Howe, he said: “Ed, how could I ever put into words how grateful I am to you? First of all, I want to thank you for bringing me to this club. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, for helping me grow not only as a player, but more importantly, as a person.
“You gave me the honour of being captain – of being your captain. That is something I will never forget and will carry with me for the rest of my life. Sharing the day-to-day with you and having you as my manager has been a privilege.
“I’m truly grateful for every opportunity, for the trust you placed in me, and for every moment we shared together. Without a doubt, you are one of the best managers I’ve ever had. Please know that my gratitude will always remain, and that you will always have a friend in me.”
