Arsenal are increasingly confident of signing Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes this summer, with the Brazil midfielder understood to want the move to the Premier League champions. A transfer would be a major loss for Newcastle, who are already facing significant squad change following departures and Eddie Howe’s resignation as head coach.

Arsenal have made a £70m bid but may need to reach about £80m, although neither a new offer nor formal club-to-club talks have yet taken place. Guimaraes, 28, has scored 31 goals in 195 Newcastle appearances since joining from Lyon in 2022, and Arsenal hope to agree a deal within days.