Arsenal sign Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes on four-year deal

Arsenal have signed Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes on a four-year contract with a further one-year option, the Premier League champions announced in London on Saturday, August 8, 2026. British media reported the deal to be worth around 75 million pounds ($101.16 million), adding the Brazil international to Mikel Arteta's squad.

Guimaraes joined Newcastle from Olympique Lyonnais in January 2022 and became a central figure as the club rose over the subsequent three seasons. He played for Brazil at this year's World Cup and has been a regular in the national team in recent years. His performances at St James' Park made him one of the Premier League's standout midfielders.

Guimaraes said in a statement on the club's website: “Since the first ⁠time I spoke to (Arsenal Sporting Director Andrea) Berta and Mikel, 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 am so ‌excited to start. We have tough games to play this season, so the ‌squad ⁠is going to be very, very important and I’m hopeful we can ⁠achieve our dreams.”

The 28-year-old made 195 appearances for Newcastle in all competitions, scoring 31 goals. He captained the side to League Cup success in 2025, ending a long wait for domestic silverware. The club profile described him as combining defensive solidity with creativity and attacking output.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta said: “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.”

The move comes as another blow for Newcastle following the departures of key players Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali. Eddie Howe stepped down from the role and was replaced by German coach Matthias Jaissle. Guimaraes' arrival at The Emirates was described as another significant statement of intent from Arsenal as they seek to retain their Premier League title and strengthen their challenge in Europe.

The signing adds an elite option alongside Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino and captain Martin Odegaard and will help Arsenal manage the workload of key players, particularly Rice, who was a cornerstone last season as the club lifted their first league title in 22 years. Arsenal begin the new campaign at home to promoted Coventry City on August 21.