Bruno Guimaraes bids emotional Newcastle farewell and reveals Declan Rice’s message after Arsenal transfer
Bruno Guimaraes has bid a heartfelt farewell to Newcastle United following the completion of his Arsenal transfer.
After weeks of negotiations, the Brazil international has swapped the north east outfit for the Premier League champions for around £75m on a four-year deal.
The 28-year-old called the move one of the “toughest decisions” of his life, especially after leading Newcastle to their first major domestic trophy in 70 years in the 2025 Carabao Cup final.
Part of his video message to the Magpies reads, “This is one of the toughest decisions of my life. When I arrived, the club was in a challenging position and I am incredibly proud of what we achieved together.
“I fell in love with this place. I really mean that. From my first day, the supporters, my teammates, Eddie and the staff, and everyone connected with the club made me and my family feel at home.
“I thank PIF, our chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and Jamie Reuben for everything they have done for me and for this football club.
“I also want to say thank you to David [Hopkinson] and Ross [Wilson] for the huge respect to me throughout this process. They did everything they could to keep me at Newcastle, and I am very grateful for our time together.
“This move is very tough because Newcastle means so much to me, but I wanted to experience something new in my life. I feel ready for a new challenge for myself and my family.”
Thank you Geordies.
Just a heartfelt thank you to the fans, Eddie Howe and his staff, all the players, directors, owners and everyone who works at the club for a period filled with happiness and achievements.
It was beautiful to live these nearly five years with you all. 🖤🤍… pic.twitter.com/sJjTvyCuWb
— Bruno Guimarães (@brunoog97) August 8, 2026
Guimaraes has come to blows with Arsenal‘s midfield in the past, including Declan Rice. And despite their fierce battles on the pitch in the past, the Brazilian said the England international sent him a nice welcome message.
He told Arsenal’s website, “Rice sent me a message: ‘Come here and please no more fights, now we’re friends!’ I was happy he messaged me.
“In my point of view, [the Arsenal midfield] is one of the best in Europe. Everyone is an amazing player.
“Every time when I play against [Arsenal] it was very tough. They keep the ball, they defend like one. I think that combination is the way I like to play as well, and of course, joining the winners of the league is always a big opportunity.”
The pair could play alongside one another as Arsenal prepare to defend their Premier League title in 2026-27.
