Arsenal has agreed to sign Bruno Guimaraes, sparking a chain reaction of transfer moves.
Arsenal have finally agreed to sign Newcastle’s captain, Bruno Guimaraes, and this move could impact several Premier League clubs.
According to L’Equipe, the Gunners’ offer of around £77 million has been accepted by Newcastle, though bonuses and agent fees still need to be sorted. Earlier in July, The Athletic’s David Ornstein shared that Guimaraes told Newcastle’s leaders he wanted to leave, but Arsenal hadn’t yet officially contacted the club about a transfer. Arsenal had two bids turned down before Newcastle, wanting close to £90 million for the Brazilian midfielder.
Eddie Howe, who recently left as Newcastle manager, said he hoped Guimaraes would stay but couldn’t promise anything about the player’s future. Now, the deal is nearly done, making Guimaraes Arsenal’s second signing this summer after they brought in winger Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge for £35 million.
Newcastle wants a bigger fee partly because some of the money has to go to French club Lyon, who sold Guimaraes to Newcastle in January 2022. Lyon’s deal included a clause for 20% of any profit if Guimaraes is sold next. This means Lyon could get around £8 million, or more if extra fees are added.
This payment is important for Lyon, as the club faced serious money problems last summer that almost led to relegation and missing out on European tournaments. To avoid this, they had to follow strict UEFA financial rules.
Despite their troubles, Lyon finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season under coach Paulo Fonseca, which means they will enter the Champions League qualifiers this season. However, their financial struggles mean some players might leave, including young winger Malick Fofana, who has been linked with a move to Spurs.
Meanwhile, Leeds are interested in signing Czech forward Pavel Sulc, who can also play midfield and scored 11 league goals last season. The money Newcastle gets from selling Guimaraes could help them demand higher fees for Sulc and other players who attract interest this summer.
As for Guimaraes, he will join Arsenal’s Brazilian group, which already includes Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli, and Gabriel Jesus. The first two were recently picked for Brazil’s World Cup squad.