Arsenal target Bruno Guimaraes set for £33m Newcastle move

Arsenal have placed numerous midfielders on their transfer wishlist this January as they prepare to speed up their dealings in order to bolster their depleted squad.

With a long-ranging set of targets both for striker and midfield, the urgency of the centre-forward pursuit has taken some of the spotlight away from other deals.

Dusan Vlahovic will not be joining Arsenal and fellow No. 9 Alexander Isak holds reservations about the move, in what is set to be a frantic finale to the winter window.

One player who doesn’t look like joining the Gunners this window, however, is Bruno Guimaraes.

Arsenal target Bruno Guimaraes set for £33m Newcastle move as Lyon accept offer for midfielder in January transfer window

As first reported by L’Equipe, and since picked up and added to across French and UK sources, Newcastle have had an offer of €40m (£33.5m) accepted by Lyon for Arsenal’s long-term target.

One of numerous players the club have been tracking, any deal looked set to be put on hold until the summer with Lyon in no rush to sell their star man, despite their well-documented financial concerns.

That appears to have changed. Bruno will be offered a salary in the region of £65k-per-week, trumping that he currently receives at the Ligue 1 side, and the deal is progressing quickly in the Magpies’ favour. It goes without saying that the fee, and wages, are modest for a player of his undoubted quality.

James McNicholas of The Athletic adds that there are other long-term targets Arsenal admire more than Bruno, although Newcastle’s actions could force the Gunners to move quick in order to satisfy their short-term needs, as well as the player clearly being available. There has been no formal offer from the north London side as of yet.

A huge fans’ favourite for obvious reasons, with Bruno an outstanding progressor of the ball, physical dynamo in midfield and boasting a clever eye for a pass, it may be seen as Arsenal missing out on one of their targets. After all, they were following back in his days in Brazil.

However, if they did truly want him you can’t help but feel they would have pushed harder. What Newcastle are offering is what Arsenal surely could have matched, and there is the added bonus of them not being in with a genuine chance of being relegated this season.

There are times where the club must be trusted. The work last season was superb, predominately in regards to incomings, and therefore they have bought themselves a degree of trust in what it is they intend to do moving forward.

How they respond to this, if at all, will be what those who loved Bruno’s profile will be intrigued to see.