Newcastle face fight to hold on to captain Bruno Guimaraes

Arsenal are long-time admirers of the man the Magpies signed from Lyon in 2022.

Newcastle United's Bruno Guimaraes. Pic: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire.

Newcastle are bracing themselves for a fight to hang on to skipper Bruno Guimaraes amid speculation he has told them he wants to leave for Arsenal.

It is understood there has been no formal contract between the two clubs and that no bid has been submitted for the highly-rated Brazil international.

Indeed, sources on Tyneside have indicated that no potential suitor has registered an interest in the 28-year-old midfielder.

The Gunners are long-time admirers of the man the Magpies signed from Lyon for £35million in January 2022 and who became one, if not the, central character in the club’s return to prominence after their Saudi-backed owners completed a takeover in October 2021.

However, Newcastle have no desire to see their captain follow star strikers Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon and fellow midfielder Sandro Tonali out of the door, and have an option to extend his contract until the summer of 2029.

Guimaraes, who missed a penalty as Brazil went out of the World Cup against Norway in the last 16, has established himself as a huge crowd favourite and was the man who lifted the club’s first domestic trophy in 70 years when he led them to Carabao Cup glory two seasons ago.

Head coach Eddie Howe will be desperate to retain one of his most important players and will not want a repeat of the saga which saw Isak force a £130m switch to Liverpool last summer after going on strike.

The sales of Gordon to Barcelona and Tonali to Tottenham for a combined total of around £170m has significantly boosted Newcastle’s ability to meet spending rules, but a further high-profile departure would spark another major rebuilding project.

Howe’s side suffered last season after their efforts to replace Isak hampered them throughout a disappointing domestic campaign which saw them eventually finish in 12th place in the Premier League table.