During this transfer window, Arsenal were too busy trimming down their squad. Even as we enter the final few days of the January transfer window, the club is yet to finalise a signing while they have already announced five exits. It seems the Gunners have missed out on most of their targets this month. According to various reports, one of the key targets for Arsenal, Lyon’s Bruno Guimaraes, is set to join Newcastle United.
Reports from earlier this month had some positive news for the Gunners. It mentioned that Arsenal had still not given up on signing Bruno Guimaraes and were working on a deal. However, on Tuesday, reports emerged about the bid from the Magpies for the midfielder, quashing any hopes of the Arsenal fans.
According to The Guardian, Olympique Lyon have agreed to a fee of €40m (£33.3m) with Newcastle United for Bruno Guimaraes. The 24-year-old midfielder will undergo his medical in Brazil after he returns from his team’s World Cup qualifier against Ecuador. The report added that even though both Arsenal and Juventus were interested in Bruno, neither had made any official offer.
Newcastle Head of Recruitment Steve Nixon is in Brazil to seal the signing of Bruno Guimarães 🇧🇷
We’re told the fee is £33.3m plus £6.5m in add-ons 💴
Agreement on initial fee was reached on Wednesday, however Lyon still wanted to negotiate add-ons. That’s now sorted 🤝 #NUFC— Keith Downie (@SkySports_Keith) January 28, 2022
Loic Tanzi of RMC Sport mentioned that Arsenal did think about signing Bruno Guimaraes before the official bid from Newcastle United. The club’s hopes of signing Arthur seemed bleak, and they were looking at his fellow Brazilian international from Lyon as an alternate option.
It was reported by The Athletic on Tuesday night that the Magpies have tabled a bid for the 24-year-old. However, there was no response from the French club or the player’s representatives and wanted to take their time. Later, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano stated on Wednesday morning that Guimaraes would finalise his future in the ‘coming hours, along with his agents’.
On Friday, Romano reported that there was total agreement between the clubs now, €40m fee plus €8m add-ons (£33.3million plus £6.5m add-ons) for the French club. Newcastle director Steve Nixon will be in Belo Horizonte to sort out the final details and complete the signing, where his medical would also happen.
Bruno Guimarães deal ⤵️🇧🇷 #NUFC
– Newcastle agreed €40m fee plus €8m add ons with OL
– Contract will be until 2026
– Agents fee, last detail now
– Medical scheduled in Belo Horizonte today when paperworks will be ready
– Newcastle sent staff member to monitor medical in Brazil pic.twitter.com/eOvlQFyfvQ— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 28, 2022
Bruno Guimaraes arrived in Lyon two years ago from Athletico Paranaense, for a reported fee of €20m. This season, the midfielder has 25 appearances in all competitions for Lyon and has six assists to his name. He also has three caps for the Brazil national team.
Arsenal were not the only club after Guimaraes, with Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain also keeping tabs on him. Talking about the Gunners’ interest in Guimaraes, few journalists mentioned their lack of proactiveness for the transfer.
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Sam Dean of The Telegraph reported there was no formal offer or approach from the Gunners to bring the Lyon player to Emirates. James McNicholas mentioned that the club has other long-term targets in midfield over the Brazilian. However, Arteta’s short-term needs could force the board to go after other alternate targets.
The approach by Newcastle United for Bruno Guimaraes, a player on Arsenal’s wishlist, will push the Gunners to ponder hard over their midfield options. Even if they are unable to sign someone immediately in this window, the club would certainly need some new addition in the summer to bolster their midfield.
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