Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes is set for his Arsenal medical, ahead of a high profile, big money move from Newcastle United. Numerous outlets are reporting this blockbuster transfer news, with ESPN FC, Sky Sports, Fabrizio Romano and The Athletic/New York Times all stating a guaranteed transfer fee of £75 million ($101m) on this deal.
Arsenal have been tracking Guimaraes all summer long, with the possibilty of signing him coming more into frame once manager Eddie Howe left the club.
BREAKING: Arsenal have agreed a £75m fee for Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes 🚨 pic.twitter.com/GQfmhjkSVh
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 5, 2026
And now it’s easy to see why Howe wanted out, given that Newcastle have shifted into a “selling club” mode this summer. The midfield maestro becomes the third major departure from St. James Park this summer Guimarares, 28, joins Anthony Gordon (£69.3 million to FC Barcelona in May) and Sandro Tonali (a Tottenham club record £100m in June) as major exits that will leave the side ultimately weaker.
When the big money came in from Saudi Arabia to take over this club, they initially took an aggressive, buying stance in the transfer market.
🚨BREAKING: Newcastle United have sold the seahorses from their club logo for £50M pic.twitter.com/Q2yiZZyVRm
— The Footy Feed (@TheFootyFeed) August 5, 2026
Now the front office management has reversed course, and it has invited comedic postings on social media. Last summer, with letting Alexander Isak go to Liverpool, was the first signal that the Geordies were shifting from overall buyers to overall sellers.
Jokes aside, Newcastle is now very depleted in the middle of the park, and they’ll have to address that concern before the transfer window closes on Sept. 1.
if the Newcastle squad was a pizza https://t.co/VwFdKZa8PF pic.twitter.com/tLQx8zuq48
— Domino’s Pizza UK (@Dominos_UK) August 5, 2026
On the other side, you have to give Arsenal kudos for going for the jugular in this transfer market. While they didn’t land Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa (getting hijacked by Chelsea at the last minute), Guimaraes is a great signing to complete the other smart pick-up they made this window, in winger Christos Tzolis.
Arsenal is not resting on their laurels from winning the league and reaching the Champions League Final.
They aren’t standing still. No, the Gunners are going for more.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.