Gunners going cold on Bruno
ARSENAL have taken a step back from pursuing Bruno Guimaraes, with the saga now almost one month old without the Gunners making an official approach for the Brazil international.
It doesn’t necessarily mean Newcastle United can move on from the situation just after discussions on price tags between £45m to £60m, and it may be a ploy after Arsenal already seem to have got in the player’s head.
It is understood that Arsenal, according to sources in the capital, have not held fresh conversations for Bruno this week.
The conversations around the deal had been going on with Bruno’s representatives.
But it suggests that Bruno’s chances of reporting to the KNOX training ground in Benton for pre-season are increasing by the day. It is believed that Newcastle boss head coach Eddie Howe does not expect Bruno to follow the example of Alexander Isak last summer and refuse to train.
Howe, however, isn’t taking anything for granted, knowing that Newcastle are not in the strongest position this summer in terms of not having European football to dangle in front of players.
Arsenal could be back at any time with a push for the South American meaning Newcastle fans will be cautious until the window shuts.
Keeping Bruno is key for Howe, with the Brazil midfielder yet to attract a concrete offer for his services and a quiet battle for his signature playing out in the background.
Howe will only know if he has lost Bruno mentally when he gets back in the building and he has to “earn the right” to train at Newcastle, a phrase the head coach used last summer when Alexander Isak refused to play.
Well-placed sources confirmed last week that Bruno’s transfer status remains the same, with the captain ‘not for sale’.
Newcastle insist they are under no pressure to sell anybody else and that the SCR legacy issues were actually cleared up after the sale of Anthony Gordon to Barcelona for £69.3m.
The Magpies did push through the £100m deal for Sandro Tonali but the funds have been reinvested into the squad for Bazoumana Toure from Hoffenheim and Sean Steur from Ajax, with more business to come.