Bruno Guimaraes to Arsenal as Newcastle Faces Summer Exodus
Bruno Guimaraes edges towards Arsenal as Newcastle’s summer exodus deepens
Arsenal are closing in on the signing that could define their title defence. Bruno Guimaraes has been given permission to travel to London and complete a £75m move from Newcastle United, with a medical at the Premier League champions scheduled in the coming days and an announcement expected soon after.
For Mikel Arteta, this is the piece he has been pushing towards all summer: a prime-age, battle-tested midfielder who can dictate tempo, snap into duels and carry a team through the ugliest spells of a season. For Newcastle, it is something else entirely – another pillar of their project walking out of the door.
- Anthony Gordon has gone.
- Sandro Tonali has gone.
- Now the captain is on his way as well.
Newcastle insist they will not lose Lewis Hall on top of that, but the mood on Tyneside is turning from ambitious to anxious.
Arsenal’s midfield coup – and the Vinicius reality check
Guimaraes, 28, gives Arsenal exactly what a defending champion craves: control with an edge. Arteta has long admired his range of passing and his ability to handle pressure in tight spaces. The club see him as a leader who can anchor their next cycle, not just plug a gap.
His arrival also underlines how aggressively Arsenal are moving at the very top of the market. They still want his Brazil team-mate Vinicius Jr, but the mood around that chase has shifted. Inside the club, the belief is growing that Vinicius will stay at Real Madrid.
Madrid have significantly improved their contract offer to the Brazilian forward, bringing it much closer to his demands. Those close to the talks now feel the balance has swung heavily towards him remaining at the Bernabeu rather than joining the Premier League champions. Arsenal will keep watching, but they know this is a door that may not open.
Liverpool eye a £200m raid on PSG’s flanks
While Arsenal move in midfield, Liverpool are staring at the wings. The post-Mohamed Salah era needs more than one solution, and Anfield is looking directly at Paris.
Liverpool want Bradley Barcola. They also want Ibrahim Mbaye. Not one or the other – both.
RMC Sport’s Fabrice Hawkins reports that the plan is to try to bring the two Paris Saint-Germain wide players to Merseyside in the same window, a double move that could cost more than £200m. Liverpool are attempting to drag PSG’s asking price for Barcola down from £140m, but they sense an opening.
Maghnes Akliouche is set to join PSG from Monaco in a £42.8m deal. A young, France international winger arriving just as Liverpool push for Barcola and Mbaye. It looks like a classic reshuffle. If PSG sign Akliouche, they may be more willing to cash in on at least one of their current wide options. Liverpool are positioning themselves to be first in line.
United push for a left-back, Newcastle dig in
At Old Trafford, the search is more specific. Manchester United want a left-back and have settled on Lewis Hall as their No 1 target.
Hall, 21, fits the profile: young, technically sharp, comfortable stepping into midfield zones. United are ready to move at around £60m. On their side of the table, the path is clear.
On Newcastle’s side, the answer is not. With Guimaraes set to go and Gordon and Tonali already departed, the club have drawn a line. According to The Athletic, Newcastle are insisting Hall is not for sale. The hierarchy are determined to stop the outflow of first-team players and are treating Hall as non-negotiable.
Whether that stance holds if United return with a higher offer is another matter. For now, though, Newcastle are adamant: the exodus stops here.
Tottenham shut the door on Nicolas Jackson
Across north London, Tottenham are taking a different tack. Links with Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson have been swiftly played down.
Jackson, 25, has returned from a season-long loan at Bayern Munich and is available for another move. On paper, he fits the profile of a mobile, pressing forward who could thrive under Ange Postecoglou.
But Spurs have already spent £237m this summer. They are open to adding another attacker – Cody Gakpo and Savinho remain on the radar – yet club sources have distanced themselves from any move for Jackson. For now, that avenue is closed.
Chelsea move for Pep Chavarria as Cucurella successor
Chelsea, meanwhile, are reshaping their full-back options again. With Marc Cucurella heading out, the club are closing in on Rayo Vallecano left-back Pep Chavarria as his replacement.
Chavarria, 28, has been identified with the help of Xabi Alonso and is set to become Chelsea’s 10th signing of the window. It is another step in a relentless rebuild, a constant churn of profiles and ages as the club try to find the right blend in defence.
Bournemouth close on Juanlu Sanchez
Further down the table, Bournemouth are moving with quiet efficiency. Juanlu Sanchez is in England for a medical ahead of an £11.2m move from Sevilla.
The 22-year-old right-back is the latest young defender targeted by the Cherries as they try to build a squad capable of surviving and then stabilising in the Premier League. If all goes to plan, the deal will be wrapped up shortly.
Norgaard swaps Arsenal for Everton – and Arteta’s parting praise
One deal already done is Christian Norgaard’s switch from Arsenal to Everton. The 32-year-old midfielder has joined the Toffees in a £7m move on a two-year contract, seeking a bigger role in the final phase of his career.
"I felt I needed a change and to play a bigger football role," Norgaard said after the move was confirmed. He spoke of being “very intrigued” by the project outlined by David Moyes and the Everton hierarchy, and arriving on Merseyside has only strengthened that conviction.
Arteta, for his part, did not hide his admiration for a player whose importance often went beyond minutes on the pitch.
"He played a tremendous role for us," the Arsenal manager said. "When I brought him here I said that he could be our glue player. He has an incredible capacity to bring players together and keep the standards high. When he played, he had some really good moments as well. But I understand to fulfil that role for long periods is not easy. He had a massive opportunity with a manager and a club I know really well. I wish him all the best and thank you."
Arsenal lose a dressing-room leader just as they prepare to add Guimaraes, a different kind of leader, at the heart of their midfield. One era closes quietly; another is about to be announced with a £75m fanfare.
The market still has time to twist again. Will Newcastle hold firm on Hall? Can Liverpool really prise two wide forwards out of PSG in one window? And if Arsenal cannot tempt Vinicius from Madrid, will Guimaraes be enough to keep them ahead of the pack?
