Mikel Arteta is prepared to pull out all the stops in his bid to land Bruno Guimaraes this summer, with Arsenal poised to make a fresh offer for the Newcastle United captain after exploratory talks that have already intimated a fee in the region of £60m. The Gunners have reportedly had a £55m offer knocked back already, but are unlikely to abandon their pursuit without a fight — especially after Mikel Merino missed the majority of the 2025/26 season through injury, leaving their midfield in need of reinforcements.
Guimaraes, currently on World Cup duty with Brazil, has worn the No. 39 shirt throughout his career as a tribute to his father Dick, whose taxi in Rio de Janeiro carried that call sign for more than 20 years. That shirt is now available at the Emirates: Harrison Dudziak, who wore it last season without making a first-team appearance, has already been confirmed as leaving the club this summer. The gesture of handing Guimaraes his preferred number could carry considerable weight for the 28-year-old.
“Arsenal are set to make a new offer for Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes after exploratory talks, with a £60m fee intimated.”
During discussions aimed at checking the financial conditions of a deal for Guimaraes, it is understood a fee of around £60m was initially intimated with his representatives. Arsenal are now poised to make a fresh offer, though Newcastle have not yet had an official approach. The Magpies do not want to lose their captain and talisman, who has two years left on his contract.
Discussions have also taken place with Sandro Tonali’s representatives as Arsenal assess numerous options in their desire to add a new central midfielder this summer. Newcastle have already turned down a bid of around £80m from Tottenham Hotspur for Tonali and are in a strong position to command a fee closer to £100m, with Manchester City also monitoring developments. However, as things stand, Arsenal only want one leading central midfielder. Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi are other players being considered.
Coming off winning a first Premier League title in 20 years, the Gunners are not becoming complacent. Captain Martin Odegaard’s spot in the starting XI has come under scrutiny after he was sidelined for much of the campaign, while Martin Zubimendi played in every league match on the road to securing the title but also attracted criticism. Declan Rice may be the only midfielder universally beloved by supporters. In that respect, a move for Guimaraes makes considerable sense as Arsenal seek to strengthen.
Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is renowned for working on numerous deals simultaneously before making a final decision. The arrival of another central midfielder will lead to the sale of a current player in the same position, with Denmark’s Christian Norgaard someone the club will listen to offers for. With Guimaraes turning 29 in November and Tonali having turned 26 in May, age is likely to emerge as a key factor in how much Arsenal would be willing to pay.