Arsenal have \u2018indicated a willingness to pay up to \u00a360million\u2019 for Bruno Guimaraes. Presumably as a first instalment.<\/p>\n
Even before Tottenham and Manchester City prompted the midfield market to put pants on its head, pencils up its nose and say \u2018wibble\u2019, the Gunners would be laughed out of Newcastle and all the way back down the A1 for making such a derisory offer.<\/p>\n
Arsenal know that, which is precisely why they haven\u2019t submitted any such bid \u2013 at least not via official channels. But it does feel like they are laying the groundwork for a slightly less insulting offer.<\/p>\n
In their minds, \u00a370million sounds better and we can confirm that, yes, it is a higher number. That, and the fact Guimaraes has told Newcastle he wants to go<\/a>, seems to have given the Gunners a confidence we cannot help but feel is misplaced.<\/p>\n There are just too many reasons Newcastle cannot be seen to even consider such a bid.<\/p>\n They have already lost two big-name players which leaves them worse off than where they were \u2013 and they weren\u2019t much good before. But Newcastle can reasonably explain away the sales of Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali, getting good money for one and silly money for the other<\/a>.<\/p>\n And we\u2019re not sure the Toon Army ever fully warmed to Gordon; Tonali was revered, perhaps more than he deserved, but Newcastle fans have had months to make their peace with his sale. The Magpies would have been daft to turn down Tottenham\u2019s eyebrow-raising bid.<\/p>\n Guimaraes is a different story. Aside from the message Newcastle would send by letting their captain go on anything but their terms, the Brazilian is the heartbeat of the team and the face of the club.<\/p>\n Newcastle could not possibly put a positive spin on selling the skipper without banking a very hefty sum.<\/p>\n They could and should point at the Tonali fee as the benchmark. Guimaraes being the better player is subjective but he is certainly more important, illustrated by the fact that Newcastle have only won twice when he hasn\u2019t started since his full debut in March 2022. And even those successive wins in March this year were sandwiched by four defeats while the Brazilian nursed a hamstring injury.<\/p>\n Given the amounts spent on Tonali, Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes<\/a>, coupled with his importance to Newcastle, Arsenal should be quoted nine figures.<\/p>\n Which of course they won\u2019t pay. Unlike Spurs, they are recruiting and negotiating from a position of authority and have no reason to lose their freaking minds this summer. Plus, Guimaraes is older \u2013 he turns 29 in November \u2013 and is into the final two years of his contract.<\/p>\n But Guimaraes would still be good value at a figure closer to Newcastle\u2019s number than Arsenal\u2019s opener.<\/p>\n He would be ready to slot straight into Arteta\u2019s midfield while offering the Arsenal manager tactical flexibility, predominantly playing alongside Declan Rice in a double pivot, but perhaps also slightly higher as an 8 to form a tidy triangle with Jurrien Timber and Bukayo Saka.<\/p>\n There is a feeling that Arsenal are chancing their arm with Guimaraes since they already look well-stocked in midfield. But we all thought that about their defence last season before Arteta invested heavily in more defenders. Which proved to be a masterstroke.<\/p>\n Rice and Martin Zubimendi were run into the ground last season, which for them hasn\u2019t finished yet. Guimaraes offers Arteta the chance to rest either without a drop-off in quality in midfield, while also providing fresh impetus for the pair to fight for places that were previously guaranteed.<\/p>\n For that privilege, Arsenal are going to have to make Newcastle an offer they can at least consider. Which won\u2019t start with a six or a seven.<\/p>\n