Arsenal step up Bruno Guimaraes pursuit with €85m bid after agreeing personal terms

Arsenal are stepping up their pursuit of Bruno Guimarães, with Mikel Arteta identifying the Brazilian as his priority midfield target.

After missing out on Morgan Rogers, who joined Chelsea in a €138m deal, the Gunners are determined not to let another top target slip away and have now improved their offer for the Newcastle United midfielder.

According to RTI Esporte, Arsenal have submitted a new bid worth €85m, consisting of €80m guaranteed plus a further €5m in add-ons. It is an improvement on previous offers of €64m and €75m, both of which were rejected by Newcastle.

The Magpies are understood to value Guimarães at around €93m. While the Brazil international is no longer considered untouchable, Newcastle are determined to maximise any potential transfer fee.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have already reached an agreement in principle with the player over a five-year contract, with personal terms no longer considered an obstacle.

The focus now shifts to convincing Newcastle to lower their asking price.

The Gunners are also continuing to strengthen other areas of the squad. Their interest in Bradley Barcola remains alive despite competition from Liverpool, Manchester United and Bayern Munich, while John Stones is admired as a potential solution in central defence during William Saliba's lengthy absence. Chelsea are also keeping a close eye on the England international.