Bruno Guimarães keeps a top hat emblazoned with ‘Bruno’s magic hat’ in his home, a relic of the chant Newcastle United supporters made up when he joined in 2022. The song boasted that the Brazilian “could have signed for Arsenal” but chose “the famous black and white”. Now, four and a half years on, Guimarães has intimated that he wants to move to the red half of north London.
That would mark the latest in a string of high-profile exits from St James’ Park. In the past 12 months, Sandro Tonali joined Tottenham in a deal worth up to £100m, Anthony Gordon moved to Barcelona for £69.3m, and Alexander Isak also departed. Newcastle, fresh from a settlement with Uefa, have needed to sell to create headroom within financial rules. Rebuilding the squad was always on the cards this summer, but losing Guimarães would be a particular blow.
“Bruno Guimarães hints at Arsenal exit as Newcastle face losing captain amid major squad rebuild.”
Since joining from Lyon, the midfielder has been the team’s beating heart. Opta data shows Newcastle’s win percentage with Guimarães is 50.7%, dropping to 12.5% without him. Their points per game go from 1.7 to 0.7, average goals for from 1.9 to 0.8, and average goals against from 1.3 to 1.6. Club have only won two of the 16 Premier League games he has missed.
Season ticket holder Liam Phillips said he would be “absolutely devastated” if Guimarães moves on, adding that his arrival in 2022 signalled “hope and ambition”. “His departure would be very symbolic in terms of what it says about the trajectory of the project,” Phillips said. “Newcastle have lost Isak, Gordon and Tonali in the last 12 months. To lose Bruno would be very alarming.”
A vision was set out to Guimarães when he joined a club fighting relegation. But with his 29th birthday approaching in November, there is a cold argument that this may be the right time to cash in. Arsenal have held talks over a move for the midfielder, and the Gunners now face a transfer pivot after a reported £100m Newcastle deal. If Guimarães leaves, what does it mean for the Magpies’ direction?