Arsenal are considering a formal bid for Bruno Guimaraes despite being informed that the Newcastle midfielder is not for sale.
Although the Magpies insist there have been no direct club-to-club talks, intermediaries have been exploring a deal, including tabling an offer of around £55million.
4
Arsenal are now prepared to pay over £55m but have several other midfielders on their list of options.
It is not unusual for sporting director Andrea Berta to line up multiple deals before deciding who to sign.
Alex Scott is another name firmly on their radar and the Gunners could face competition from Manchester United, Chelsea and Spurs.
But Bournemouth are still hoping Scott signs a new contract.
Moroccan Ayyoub Bouaddi is another name being tracked by Arsenal. The teenage midfielder, who has impressed at the World Cup so far, is appreciated by Liverpool, Manchester City, PSG and Real Madrid.
Sandro Tonali is another Arsenal have looked at this year, with Spurs and Man City both keen, and the former pushing to try and reach an agreement before other suitors formalise their interest.
Newcastle consider Guimaraes as not for sale, although it should be noted that this was the same stance with Alexander Isak last summer.
The club will not want to lose the Brazilian and Tonali in the same window, nor are they under pressure to sell both after bringing in £70m when Anthony Gordon joined Barcelona.
Along with Arsenal, Man City have also looked at Guimaraes in the past – they want to sign another midfielder even after the arrival of Elliot Anderson.
Tonali is one name they could now turn to, but sources haven’t ruled out a move for Guimaraes, a player the club almost bid for last summer.
4
4
Samba star
Ex-Lyon midfielder Guimaraes is currently in North America on World Cup duty for Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil.
And he has been a standout player under Ancelotti – chipping in with three assists to help Brazil top Group C.
Despite a disappointing 2025/26 season for Newcastle, which saw them finish in 12th spot, Guimaraes proved to be a bright spark.
He chipped in with nine Premier League goals – his highest tally in a single campaign in England to date.
And he also provided seven assists in 41 games across all competitions for the Toon outfit.
Guimaraes has played a total of 195 matches for Newcastle since signing for the club four years ago.
4
Who else could Arsenal sign this window?
It’s expected to be a busy window for Arsenal, with the club announcing Piero Hincapie as their first summer signing.
They have now turned his temporary loan move from Bayer Leverkusen into a permanent switch for £34.5m.
And Arsenal have identified Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers as their top target, with the club expected to formalise their interest in the near future.
Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola is also on the club’s radar.
Greece winger Christos Tzolis has also been linked in a potential £34.5m deal, having dazzled at Club Brugge in the last two years.
The Gunners are also currently winning the race to land Leicester starlet Jeremy Monga.
World Cup WhatsApp
Don’t miss an update from talkSPORT in our dedicated World Cup WhatsApp channel.
Search for ‘talkSPORT World Cup’ in your ‘Updates’ tab on WhatsApp and we’ll drop the proper, unfiltered football chat straight to your lock screen—no fluff, just pure talkSPORT energy.
It’s where you’ll find out all the new rules to watch out for, England and Scotland reaction and big match player ratings.
Plus there will be loads of debates on the biggest talking points as Haaland, Mbappe, Kane and the biggest names in football descend on America, Canada and Mexico.