Arsenal lands the big fish of the transfer market

Arsenal are nearing the final stages of a move for Bruno Guimarães, with the Newcastle captain due for a medical before a proposed transfer worth close to £80m.

Midfield upgrade

Guimarães would add another established Premier League leader to Mikel Arteta's squad and give Arsenal more control and creativity in midfield. He can operate as a No 6 or a No 8, which would give Arteta more tactical flexibility alongside Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi.

The Brazilian has been a key figure in Newcastle's rise, bringing forward passing, defensive work and composure under pressure. Arsenal view those qualities as a strong fit for a side looking to raise the standard of competition across the squad.

Newcastle face a void

His departure would leave Newcastle with a major leadership gap. The club would then need a swift replacement, with new head coach Matthias Jaissle facing the task of finding one quickly.

Reuters reported that Arsenal have already signed Ilan Munie and Christos Tzolis, while the loan move for Piero Hincapie has been made permanent. Guimarães would be the biggest addition of the summer so far if the deal is completed.