Arsenal have completed the signing of Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes for a reported £75m transfer fee.
The Brazil international has signed a four-year contract with the Gunners, with the option of an additional year.
He will wear the No. 39 shirt at the Emirates Stadium.
Guimaraes, 28, told Newcastle earlier this summer that he wanted to leave the club for Arsenal if an acceptable offer was made.
Newcastle initially rejected Arsenal’s opening proposal before the two clubs eventually reached an agreement.
Speaking after completing his move, Guimaraes said, “I feel amazing. I’m glad for the opportunity. Since the first time I spoke to [Andrea] Berta and Mikel [Arteta], I was excited. I just felt inside of me that I need a new challenge in my life and I think to be an Arsenal player is going to be an exciting challenge in my life.
“I’m so excited to join you. I will give you my best, I promise. I’m your warrior, I’ll never give up. Hopefully we can create many, many good memories together.”
Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta believes the midfielder’s arrival will add quality and leadership to Mikel Arteta’s squad as the club aims to compete for major honours.
“We are delighted to welcome Bruno Guimaraes to our club. Bruno is a player with a great mentality and great quality, who will bring strong leadership to our squad.
“With Bruno joining us, we are further strengthening the heart of our team. As we have all seen, Bruno can play as a defensive midfielder and as a box-to-box player. He combines quality with quantity, and has provided goals and assists for his team every year.
“Bruno will allow Mikel to further develop our playing style and will also increase our internal competitiveness, which is essential for maintaining the standards required when we are aiming to win major trophies.”
Guimaraes leaves Newcastle after four-and-a-half years at St James’ Park.
He joined the club from Lyon in 2022 for £40m and made 195 appearances, scoring 31 goals and helping the Magpies win the Carabao Cup.
His departure is another major sale for Newcastle, who have now generated more than £240m from player transfers this summer.
Anthony Gordon moved to Barcelona for £69.3m, while Tottenham paid a club-record £100m for Sandro Tonali.
Head coach, Eddie Howe, has also departed the club during a turbulent period for the Magpies.
Newcastle said the £75m fee ranks among the top 10 highest transfer fees received for a player aged 28 or older and represents a record for a player of Guimaraes’ age and position.
Reflecting on his departure, the Brazilian described leaving Newcastle as one of the most difficult decisions of his career.
“This is one of the toughest decisions of my life. When I arrived, the club was in a challenging position and I am incredibly proud of what we achieved together.
“I fell in love with this place. I really mean that. From my first day, the supporters, my team-mates, Eddie (Howe) and the staff, and everyone connected with the club made me and my family feel at home.
“I thank PIF, our chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and Jamie Reuben for everything they have done for me and for this football club. I also want to say thank you to David (Hopkinson) and Ross (Wilson) for the huge respect to me throughout this process. They did everything they could to keep me at Newcastle, and I am very grateful for our time together.
“This move is very tough because Newcastle means so much to me, but I wanted to experience something new in my life. I feel ready for a new challenge for myself and my family. I had a very positive conversation with Matthias Jaissle, and I leave knowing the club is in very good hands.
“To the supporters, thank you will never be enough, but I say it with all my heart. I will always be proud to have been part of this club’s journey. Thank you for everything.”
Guimaraes’ arrival further strengthens an Arsenal midfield that already includes Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard, while Eberechi Eze also provides an option in the attacking midfield role.
The signing gives Arteta greater flexibility, with Guimaraes capable of operating both as a defensive midfielder and in a box-to-box role.
Arsenal are also expected to continue their pursuit of a left winger as they seek to strengthen their squad further ahead of another Premier League title campaign and their Champions League ambitions.
Newcastle, meanwhile, had initially been determined to retain their captain but ultimately accepted his request for a new challenge after the midfielder made clear that he wanted to pursue a move.
The club reportedly insisted on receiving its valuation for the player and wanted the transfer to be handled professionally.
Guimaraes continued to report for Newcastle duty, including the club’s training camp in Spain, while negotiations were ongoing.
Newcastle were also keen to avoid a repeat of the circumstances surrounding Alexander Isak’s departure last summer, when the striker refused to train before eventually joining Liverpool.
Despite the difficult decision to part ways, Newcastle maintain that their relationship with Guimaraes remains positive.
