Arsenal have signalled they are ready to offer £70 million for Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes, though the Magpies have privately made clear they would reject a bid of that size, The Telegraph reports.
The figure was communicated through intermediaries acting for the Brazil international, who has two years left on his contract and is keen on a move to the Premier League champions.
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Guimaraes is expected to report for pre-season training at Newcastle’s La Manga camp next week, having been given three weeks off following the World Cup.
The club have already sold Anthony Gordon to Barcelona for £69.3 million and Sandro Tonali to Tottenham for up to £100 million this summer, and are determined not to lose their captain as well, having previously been forced into selling Alexander Isak to Liverpool for £125 million last year.
Arsenal have made just two signings so far this window, Christos Tzolis for £34 million and back-up goalkeeper Illan Meslier, with manager Mikel Arteta’s primary target remaining Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, for whom a swap deal involving Viktor Gyokeres has been discussed.
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The club also need defensive reinforcements after William Saliba’s back injury, which is expected to keep him out for several months.
Arteta has called for greater ambition in the transfer market following Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, though the club have already missed out on four separate targets this summer over valuation disagreements.
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