Arsenal sign Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United in record £75m deal

Arsenal have completed the signing of Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United in a deal reported to be worth £75m, strengthening their midfield ahead of the new season.

The 28-year-old has signed a four-year contract with Arsenal, with the club holding an option to extend the agreement for a further season, according to an official statement from the London club on Saturday.

Arsenal did not disclose the financial details of the transfer. However, several British media outlets, including Sky Sports, reported that the deal was worth £75m.

Guimaraes said he was excited by the move after speaking with Andrea Berta and manager Mikel Arteta.

“I feel great, and I am happy with this opportunity. Since the first time I spoke with Andrea Berta and Mikel Arteta, I felt excited. I had an inner feeling that I needed a new challenge in my life, and I believe playing for Arsenal will be an exciting challenge,” he said.

“I am very excited to join you. I will give everything I have, I promise you that. I am your warrior and I will never give up. I hope we can create many great memories together.”

Arsenal sporting director Berta said Guimaraes would bring both technical quality and leadership to the squad.

“We are very happy to welcome Bruno Guimaraes to our club. He is a player with a strong mentality and great quality, and he will add an important degree of leadership to our squad,” said Berta.

“With Bruno joining, we continue to strengthen the heart of our team. As we have all seen, he can play as a defensive midfielder or as a box-to-box midfielder. He combines quality with hard work, while also contributing goals and assists for his team every season.”

Berta added that the Brazil international would help Arteta develop Arsenal’s style of play and increase competition within the squad.

“Bruno will allow Mikel to continue developing our way of playing, while raising the level of competition within the team, which is essential to maintain the standards required when we are aiming to win the biggest trophies,” he said.

Newcastle United had been keen to retain Guimaraes, who still had two years remaining on his contract, with the club also holding an option for a third season. However, the player’s desire to take on a new challenge ultimately influenced the outcome of the transfer.

Guimaraes told Newcastle officials earlier in the summer that he wanted to move to Arsenal, provided a suitable offer was made. Newcastle initially rejected the first bid submitted by the Gunners, but the two clubs later reached an agreement worth £75m.

The transfer means Newcastle’s summer sales have now passed £240m. Anthony Gordon has joined Barcelona for £69.3m, while Sandro Tonali moved to Tottenham in a deal worth £100m. The club have also seen manager Eddie Howe leave during a period of major change.

In an official statement, Newcastle said the Guimaraes deal ranks among the 10 highest transfer fees ever received by a club for a player aged 28 or older. The club also described it as a record fee for a player of his age and position combined.

Guimaraes joined Newcastle from French club Lyon in 2022 for £40m. He made 195 appearances for the club, scoring 31 goals and helping them win the EFL Cup.

Despite completing his move, Guimaraes said leaving Newcastle had been one of the most difficult decisions of his life because of his strong connection with the club and its supporters.

“This was one of the hardest decisions of my life. When I arrived, the club was going through a difficult period, and I am extremely proud of what we achieved together,” he said.

“I fell in love with this place, and I truly mean that. From my first day, the fans, my team-mates, Eddie Howe and his coaching staff, and everyone connected with the club made me and my family feel at home.”

The midfielder thanked the Public Investment Fund, club chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Jamie Reuben and Newcastle’s officials, saying they had done everything possible to keep him at the club.

“This move is extremely difficult 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 me and my family,” he said.

“I had a very positive conversation with Matthias Jaissle, and I leave knowing that the club is in safe hands.”

He ended his message to Newcastle supporters by saying: “Thank you will never be enough, but I say it from the bottom of my heart. I will always be proud to have been part of this club’s journey. Thank you for everything.”