Arsenal have now established a clear stance regarding a transfer for Newcastle United ace Bruno Guimaraes this summer after talking to the Manchester City target’s camp.
The Gunners and Citizens are nearing the end of a second successive tussle for the Premier League title. But Arsenal and Manchester City are looking at engaging in another fight across the off-season as Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola look to strengthen their respective squads.
Arteta and Guardiola have both identified their midfields as a position that will need looking at over the summer. Both, Arsenal and Manchester City, have also identified Guimaraes as a target for the transfer market. He has had a critical role in Newcastle’s campaign this season.
Arsenal have no interest in paying Bruno Guimaraes’s £100m release clause
Guimaraes has started 35 of Newcastle’s 36 Premier League games this campaign. The 26-year-old has further recorded six goals and six assists from the base of Eddie Howe’s engine room. He missed his sole fixture in November after the Brazilian received a fifth yellow card.
Now, Ben Jacobs reports that Guimaraes’ displays with Newcastle have tempted Arsenal and Manchester City to approach his camp. Paris Saint-Germain are also fans of the defensive midfielder, but are prioritising a move for Citizens maestro Bernardo Silva over the Toon star.
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Gunners and Citizens chiefs have sought to sound out Guimaraes’ position regarding a move away from St James’ Park. The Magpies are vulnerable to losing him as his contract contains a £100m release clause. But the clause is only active from late May up until the end of June.
Guimaraes could also leave Newcastle for £80m as they have an agreement regarding offers from sides in the Champions League. Yet the anchor is happy on Tyneside and is not pushing to leave. Arsenal also have no intentions of paying the Rio de Janeiro native’s release clause.
Arsenal trail Manchester City in the transfer tug-of-war for the midfielder
Arsenal have made a firm decision to not pay Guimaraes’ release clause, which places Arteta further behind Guardiola in the race for his transfer. Jacobs notes that Manchester City were already the most attractive destination among Guimaraes’ likely options to leave Newcastle.
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Additionally, along with Arsenal refusing to pay £100m for his transfer, 90min reported that Declan Rice could prevent Arteta from signing Guimares. The Gunners are still to decide on what role Rice has in their engine room next term and want a clear position for their target.
Guimaraes would likely occupy the deepest position in Arteta’s midfield three, if Newcastle agree to reduce their asking price. He would also likely play a deep position for Manchester City as Guardiola believes Guimaraes is ‘exceptional’ and is a ‘complete holding midfielder’.