Arsenal are closing in on a huge summer of recruitment, with Bruno Guimaraes reportedly just hours away from completing a move to the Emirates Stadium.
ESPN Brazil report that the Newcastle United captain’s transfer to Arsenal is “a done deal,” with only the final routine details remaining before an official announcement.
The reported package stands at £70 million with £10 million in add-ons, with Guimaraes set to sign a five-year deal upon completing his move to north London.
Bruno Andrade delivered a confident verdict on the situation, saying: “We should see an official announcement from Newcastle or Arsenal in the coming hours. Bruno Guimaraes will be an Arsenal player next season.”
Newcastle had previously rejected a bid believed to be around the £75 million mark, with the Magpies said to have been irked by six weeks of negotiation before that formal offer was submitted.
Guimaraes arrived at Newcastle’s Spanish training camp in La Manga on Monday, posting on Instagram to show his presence, negating any fears of a repeat of Alexander Isak’s situation from last summer.
On the Vinicius Junior front, Real Madrid have offered the Brazilian winger an improved contract worth £18.85 million per year since the World Cup, though a significant gap remains with the forward demanding a £25.7 million annual salary.
Vinicius, who has just one year remaining on his current contract, returned to Real Madrid training on Monday, with Mikel Arteta said to be taking a personal lead in Arsenal’s pursuit of the 26-year-old.
Jack Wilshere, speaking on Sky Sports News, offered his view on what signing Vinicius would mean for the club, saying: “It would definitely be a statement from Mikel and the club that they won the league last year and they’re not resting on that.”
Wilshere added: “They’re ready to go again and want to improve, not just on the pitch but also on the commercial side as well with a player like that.”
Elsewhere, Wilshere also weighed in on reports linking Myles Lewis-Skelly with a move to Manchester United, urging the youngster to remain at Arsenal and fight for his place.
The former Arsenal player, who coached Lewis-Skelly in the club’s youth set-up, said: “Forget the ability and all of that, the one thing that I love about Myles is his character and personality and he’s never let that leave him.”
Wilshere continued: “He obviously found his way at the end of the season playing in the Champions League final, in my opinion, in his best position. I’d like to see him stay and fight for it because I believe he’s good enough to find his way in that team.”
On the outgoing front, Christian Norgaard is set to join Everton after the Toffees submitted a £7 million bid, while Hamburg are keen on securing a deal for Fabio Vieira.
Bradley Barcola, who has been linked with Arsenal, has made a move to Liverpool his number one priority should he depart PSG, with the Frenchman having refused to extend his contract at the French club.
Arsenal have also been active at youth level, with 16-year-old Kyren Thompson completing a move from the Gunners to Newcastle United as a scholar this week.
