Arsenal’s pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes has probably hit its biggest obstacle to date as Newcastle United continue to harden their negotiating position over their captain.
While Arsenal have been linked with offers in the £55 million to £60 million range throughout the summer, a fresh report coming out on Tuesday indicates that Newcastle’s valuation is considerably higher than previously believed.
According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, senior Newcastle figures have made it clear they would only consider
a fee approaching £100 million to let the Brazil international go and sell the Magpies captain.
Crook said Newcastle has rejected suggestions that Guimaraes could leave under a gentleman’s agreement after the club failed to qualify for Europe, as reported by The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards on Monday.
“They were told there was a gentleman’s agreement that Guimaraes could leave the club this summer. That’s been shot down by senior sources at Newcastle,” Crook reported.
Crook added that Newcastle remains determined to keep their captain despite already selling Anthony Gordon to Barcelona and Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur.
“In fact, as I’m recording this from New York, I’ve just been sent a message by somebody very high up at Newcastle suggesting their asking price for Bruno Guimaraes would be nearer the £100m mark,” Crook said.
The valuation reflects recent transfer business involving Newcastle midfielders. Tonali departed for Tottenham in a £100 million deal earlier this summer, while former Magpie Elliot Anderson joined Manchester City in a transfer that could reach £116 million with add-ons.
“I think Arsenal’s valuation of Guimaraes is much lower than what Newcastle are prepared to do business at,” Crook added.
To be fair, Bruno might be Newcastle’s captain, but Arsenal won’t care about that, thus their lower valuation than those of the younger Tonali and Gordon, and for comparison’s sake, Elliot Anderson’s £116 million move earlier this summer.
Newcastle will continue to insist Guimaraes is not for sale and remain hopeful of agreeing a contract extension with the midfielder, who has two years remaining on his current deal plus a club option for an additional season.
Meanwhile, Arsenal has yet to make an official approach directly to Newcastle, although the sizeable gap between the clubs’ valuations could prove to be a deal breaker.
