Arsenal and Newcastle United have reached an initial agreement over a transfer fee for Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, according to reports. The Premier League champions have agreed to pay €90 million (£77m) for the 28-year-old, who has informed Newcastle that he wants to join Arsenal this summer.
Guimaraes has already agreed personal terms with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta's side, and the two clubs are now negotiating bonuses and agent fees. His former club Lyon are also set to receive a fee in excess of €8m (£6.8m) due to a 20 per cent sell-on clause in their agreement with Newcastle.
A complete agreement between Newcastle and Arsenal is expected in the coming days. Guimaraes's desire to leave Newcastle is likely to be strengthened following Eddie Howe's departure as manager on Thursday. Howe had expressed frustration with the club's decision to sell Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon this summer.
Guingamraes was expected to return to training with Newcastle on Monday following his appearances for Brazil at the World Cup this summer. However, he has asked Newcastle to delay his travel to La Manga for a pre-season training camp, suggesting his move to Arsenal could be finalised over the weekend.
The 28-year-old is keen to leave Newcastle in order to continue playing in the Champions League, as the club finished 12th in the Premier League last season and will not be playing in Europe for the upcoming campaign. Guimaraes's departure would be a significant blow to Newcastle, who had considered him a key player under Howe's management.
In his final interview as manager, Howe described Guimaraes as an 'outstanding player' who had always been committed to the club. However, with Guimaraes now pushing to leave Newcastle, the manager's words may take on a different meaning in the coming days.
The transfer saga has created a negative mood at Newcastle, with Howe admitting that any distraction, if not healthy, is unhealthy. However, the manager insisted that he cannot control the forces at play and that what will be, will be.
