Arsenal sign Bruno Guimaraes in £75m transfer from Newcastle
Arsenal secures midfielder Bruno Guimaraes
Arsenal has completed the signing of midfielder Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle in a transfer valued at £75m. The 28-year-old has agreed to a four-year contract, which includes an option for an additional year. Guimaraes will wear the number 39 shirt for the London club.
The move follows an initial rejected bid from Arsenal, with the deal eventually agreed upon. Guimaraes had informed Newcastle earlier in the summer of his desire to leave if a suitable offer emerged.
Upon joining Arsenal, Guimaraes expressed his excitement for the new challenge. He stated, “I feel amazing. I’m glad for the opportunity. Since the first time I spoke to [Andrea] Berta and Mikel [Arteta], I was excited. I just felt inside of me that I need a new challenge in my life and I think to be an Arsenal player is going to be an exciting challenge in my life.” He also promised to give his best and expressed hope for creating many good memories with the club.
Newcastle’s significant player sales
Guimaraes’ departure contributes to Newcastle‘s player sales exceeding £240m this summer. The club had aimed to retain the Brazil international, who had two years remaining on his contract, along with a club option for a third year.
Other notable departures from Newcastle include Anthony Gordon, who joined Barcelona in a £69.3m deal, and Sandro Tonali, who moved to Spurs for £100m. The club also saw head coach Eddie Howe leave during a period of change.
Newcastle stated that the agreed fee for Guimaraes represents one of the top ten highest transfer fees ever received for a player aged 28 or older, and a record fee for a player of his age and position combined.
Guimaraes joined Newcastle in 2022 from Lyon for £40m. During his time with the Magpies, he made 195 appearances, scored 31 goals, and won the Carabao Cup.
Guimaraes reflects on his departure
Guimaraes described his decision to leave Newcastle as one of the toughest of his life. He expressed pride in what the team achieved during his tenure, noting that the club was in a challenging position when he arrived.
He conveyed his affection for Newcastle, acknowledging the support from fans, teammates, staff, and everyone connected with the club who made him and his family feel at home. Guimaraes thanked the club’s leadership, including PIF, chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, and Jamie Reuben, for their contributions to him and the club.
He also extended gratitude to David and Ross for their respect throughout the transfer process, noting their efforts to keep him at Newcastle. Despite the difficulty of the move, Guimaraes stated his desire for a new experience and challenge for himself and his family.
Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta welcomed Guimaraes, highlighting his mentality, quality, and leadership. Berta noted that Guimaraes can play as both a defensive midfielder and a box-to-box player, contributing goals and assists annually. Berta believes Guimaraes will help Mikel Arteta further develop the team’s playing style and increase internal competitiveness, which is crucial for pursuing major trophies.
According to reports, Newcastle was keen to keep Guimaraes and would have rejected offers if he had wanted to stay. However, Guimaraes was firm in his desire to leave, believing it was his last significant opportunity to win titles. The deal proceeded under Newcastle‘s terms, similar to the transfers of Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon.
Newcastle insisted on their valuation for the player, stating they would only sell Guimaraes for a fee that would be among the highest for a player aged 28 or over. The club also required the situation to be handled appropriately, with Guimaraes attending Newcastle‘s training camp in Spain as requested. Newcastle felt Guimaraes complied with their demands, avoiding a situation like Alexander Isak‘s refusal to train before joining Liverpool last summer.
While agents were involved from the beginning, Newcastle reportedly rejected initial offers in the range of £40m-£45m in June. Reports indicate that Newcastle was frustrated by Arsenal‘s delay in contacting them for several weeks. Despite the transfer, Newcastle maintains that good relations persist between the player and the club.
Source: skysports.com
Emeka Nwosu 