Midfielder 'refused' Arsenal summer switch as £100 million 'turn off' claim made

The 2024/25 Premier League is almost among us and while plenty of signings have already been made this summer, there is still time for clubs to continue recruiting before the transfer window slams shut. Arsenal will be pushing for another title challenge this season, so let’s take a look at their latest transfer links as we enter the home stretch.

Arsenal target ‘refused’ summer move

Arsenal are looking to sign a new midfielder in these final two weeks of the transfer window. A number of targets have been mentioned throughout the summer but none have come to fruition so far. Now, another player it looks like they won’t be getting their hands on is Bruno Guimarães.

Newcastle United had been open to selling the Brazilian at one point to help balance their books, but they have now decided against letting him leave. According to GiveMeSport, the Magpies will ‘refuse’ to sell Guimarães this far along in the window and they will not change their mind even if the midfielder wishes to leave.

Arsenal have been linked with the 26-year-old this summer, along with title rivals Manchester City. They had the chance to sign him earlier in the window when he had a £100 million release clause, however, this has since expired and it seemed clear that no clubs were willing to pay the hefty fee.

Newcastle are now ‘determined’ to block Guimarães from leaving St James’ Park, despite ‘whispers’ of both Arsenal and City remaining confident that his head would be turned if they entered negotiations with a convincing offer.

Guimaraes price ‘turned off’ suitors

Journalist Steve Kay has weighed in on the Guimarães saga and believes that his hefty valuation has been the main reason why the likes of Arsenal and City’s interest faded. Speaking on KS1 TV (via The Boot Room), Kay discussed the figure Newcastle were initially holding out for and believes the Brazilian is worth significantly less.

“He’s a really good player, is he a £100m midfielder? I don’t think so, and that turned off Arsenal and Man City. If he became available, similarly to Viktor Gyökeres, at about £50-60m, I’m sure he’d be someone we’d be looking at, but at the price they want, I think they more or less immediately said no.”

For what it’s worth, Guimarães is valued at €85 million (£72m) by Transfermarkt and he is under contract at Newcastle until 2028.