Arsenal, Man City transfer boost with £80m ‘verbal agreement’ in place for Newcastle star

Joe Williams
Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes
Bruno Guimaraes has been linked with Arsenal and Man City.

Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has a ‘verbal agreement’ that he can leave for £80m or over amid interest from Arsenal and Man City, according to reports.

The Magpies were brilliant under Eddie Howe last season as the Englishman guided them to the Champions League in a memorable campaign.

Arsenal, Man City are now ‘aware of agreement’

But things have not quite gone to plan this season due to a lot of bad luck with injuries and other things out of Howe’s control, like Sandro Tonali’s long-term ban from football.

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One of the shining lights over both seasons has been Guimaraes, who Newcastle bought from Lyon for around £40m, with the Brazilian contributing four goals and six assists in 32 Premier League appearances this term.

However, good performances attract interest and now there are a number of clubs thought to be interested in the 26-year-old, including Arsenal, Man City and Paris Saint-Germain.

Speaking about Guimaraes potentially leaving in the summer, Howe said earlier this month: “Players like Bruno are not around every corner. They are very, very rare. Bruno should be appreciated for everything he brings.

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“My intention would be to keep Bruno for as long as we possibly can because I can. But I can never make guarantees because that would be absolutely foolish of me. I’ve been in football long enough to know you never know what is going to happen tomorrow.

“But he’s an integral part of the team and playing really well at the moment. A lot will depend on our ambitions and where the club is going in the foreseeable future. We need to show we’re moving forward.”

And now 90min claims that ‘Arsenal and Manchester City are aware that Newcastle United will listen to offers in excess of £80m for Bruno Guimaraes this summer’.

The report adds:

‘Though there is a £100m release clause in Guimaraes’ contract, 90min revealed there is a verbal agreement between club and player to listen to offers over £80m from clubs competing in the Champions League.

90min now understands both Arsenal and City have learned of this lower valuation of Guimaraes, though they are not the only teams interested in his services.’

It is understood that Newcastle ‘have prioritised keeping star striker Alexander Isak’ and that means that Guimaraes ‘is more likely to be sold, while England international Callum Wilson could also be shifted’.

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