Arsenal’s summer pursuit of Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes is reaching its climax as the Brazilian midfielder prepares to finalise a £75 million move to the North London club.
Fresh details have emerged revealing the specific negotiation tactics employed by the Gunners during the transfer saga which is nearing a conclusion.
According to Sky Sports’ North East reporter Keith Downie, Newcastle executives were left perplexed by Arsenal’s approach, particularly during the initial weeks of discussions.
Bruno Guimaraes to Arsenal is almost a done deal
The groundwork for the transfer was reportedly laid weeks ago when intermediaries approached Newcastle to gauge what it would take to tempt their star midfielder to the Emirates Stadium.
Shortly thereafter, Guimaraes indicated to Newcastle management that he was open to joining the reigning Premier League champions.
Rather than capitalising on the momentum with an immediate, official approach, Arsenal backed off.
Downie reports: “Arsenal elongated the transfer by refusing to contact Newcastle for weeks — which Newcastle found bizarre.”
Instead of opening a direct line of communication between boardrooms, Arsenal are said to have continued operating through middle-men for an extended period. This approach reportedly left Newcastle officials scratching their heads over why the Gunners were deliberately stalling formal contact when the player’s interest had already been established.
Newcastle were desperate to retain Guimaraes and had zero desire to sell their marquee midfielder, but found their hands tied. Had the 28-year-old expressed a willingness to remain on Tyneside, the Magpies would have rejected any offers from Arsenal or any rival suitor.
However, 28-year-old Guimaraes maintained his stance, informing Newcastle bosses that he wanted to leave because he felt joining Arsenal represented a better chance of competing for major titles.
Once Arsenal did initiate club-to-club contact and met Newcastle’s financial valuation, negotiations progressed swiftly towards the £75m agreement which is close to being ratified by the Premier League.
Relations between Guimaraes and Newcastle remain entirely amicable ahead of his arrival in North London.
While losing their captain is a major blow, the £75m windfall provides financial flexibility as the club rebuilds itself ahead of the new season and a new sporting cycle on Tyneside.