Arsenal have reached a compromise with Newcastle United on the transfer fee for captain Bruno Guimaraes, with the clubs agreeing on a £75m deal after days of negotiation.
The Brazil midfielder is scheduled to travel from Newcastle's pre-season training camp in Spain to London within the next few days to undergo a medical, finalizing what has been a protracted transfer saga. The agreement represents a middle ground between the two clubs' initial valuations, with Arsenal having opened negotiations at £70m, which Newcastle swiftly rejected on Monday.
Newcastle had initially demanded £80m for their captain, who has two years remaining on his contract. Arsenal's opening bid fell short of that asking price, but continued talks have resulted in both parties accepting the £75m figure.
Guimaraes was at Newcastle's training camp in southern Spain when the deal progressed. He had traveled there following his post-World Cup break in Brazil, joining the squad ahead of the new season. The midfielder is now expected to leave the camp to complete his move to north London.
The signing represents a significant piece of business for Arsenal as they continue strengthening their squad under Mikel Arteta. The club has made the midfielder a priority target throughout the summer transfer window as they look to reinforce their options in central midfield.
For Newcastle, the departure of their captain comes after a busy summer of player departures. The Magpies have already sold Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali to other Premier League clubs, and losing Guimaraes further weakens their squad depth ahead of the new season.
The timing of the transfer is notable as Newcastle prepare for their opening Premier League fixture against Liverpool in two weeks. The club's new manager, Matthias Jaissle, had only just arrived at the pre-season training camp on Saturday. Jaissle, whose official appointment was still awaiting final paperwork completion, had wanted to assess Guimaraes and his mindset as he begins rebuilding the squad following Eddie Howe's departure.
Newcastle have moved to replace some departing players, completing the £26m signing of Czech goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek from Braga on Monday. The 24-year-old, who stands 6ft 6in tall, is expected to become the club's first-choice goalkeeper following Nick Pope's expected departure from St James' Park.
Hornicek made seven clean sheets during Braga's run to the Europa League semi-finals last season and has been praised for his technical ability on the ball, which should enhance Newcastle's capacity to play out from the back. The goalkeeper turned down a move to promoted Hull City last month before joining Newcastle.