Newcastle United have been rocked by a suggestion Bruno Guimaraes wants to leave the club this summer
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| NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 05: Bruno Guimaraes (l) and Sandro Tonali react during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between Newcastle United FC and Athletic Club at St James' Park on November 05, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) |
Newcastle United will stick to their guns if Bruno Guimaraes decides to hand in an official transfer request - with the Sandro Tonali sale an example of the club's sale policy.
Tottenham Hotspur did not want to pay £100m for the Italy international and were irked by Newcastle's stubborn stance on the deal. And Chronicle Live understands that Newcastle won't be prepared to do any business that isn't on their terms, with Arsenal yet to make an official approach for the Toon skipper.
Guimaraes is taking some time after his World Cup exit but remains in conversation with his representatives. Here's how things stand in the respective camps in the aftermath of news Bruno is considering his future:
Newcastle United's stance
The Brazil international is not for sale and one well-placed source suggested recently that even if an email dropped with the subject reading "Bruno offer", it would not be opened as the skipper is deemed as a vital cog in the wheel at St James' Park.
However, as of the close of play yesterday, the club had not received any type of official offer for the player's services. CEO David Hopkinson and sporting director Ross Wilson aren't naive and know that there is interest being drummed up by third parties and those close to the player's agency, but as things stand, there is no question to answer, although that is likely to change.
Arsenal's stance
The Gunners have an interest in Bruno and a decision was made behind the scenes at Arsenal that of the two Newcastle midfielders with uncertain futures out of the Brazilian and Sandro Tonali, the South American was their pick.
Like Newcastle, Arsenal have their own ideas on valuation, and the conversation on Bruno with intermediaries and dealmakers is understood to have begun at £45m. That was dismissed immediately by those at the other end when it was put to them verbally.
The suggestion was that it would take a bid north of £60m for Bruno, but Arsenal may not be willing to meet that. Of course, it is all transfer brinkmanship and negotiation tactics, but the Gunners' case on the player is that he is 29 on his next birthday and his value is only going to go down.
One source at the Arsenal end has suggested that the Gunners may drop the idea if it becomes too expensive for their liking and move on to another target. Bournemouth star Alex Scott and Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi have been linked also.
Newcastle's dilemma could be if Arsenal do offer £60m, Bruno makes it clear he wants the move and pressure builds from the agency.
The Bruno camp
Bruno is represented by Bertolucci Sports, which is headed by Sao Paulo super agent Giuliano Bertolucci.
His close pal and representative on Tyneside is Alexis Malavolta, who runs the day-to-day life of Guimaraes, but the Arsenal situation, deemed transfer poker by industry insiders, could now be above Malavolta's head and be in the hands of Bertolucci and his legal team.
When the story that Bruno wanted to quit emerged last night, there was a suggestion from somebody close to the player's camp that the midfielder had not told anybody he wanted to leave.
What has been said, according to those on the inside at Arsenal, is that Bruno is concerned about the sporting project at Newcastle and the exits of Anthony Gordon to Barcelona and Tonali to Spurs are understandably making him wonder.
He left the World Cup having missed a penalty against Norway in the last 16 and while the player is emotional, it should have no bearing on how he feels about his future.
- Lee Ryder
