Arsenal's pursuit of a midfield double signing worth up to £130 million has encountered significant hurdles, with Newcastle United holding a contract extension option over Bruno Guimaraes and Lille demanding as much as £85 million for teenage sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Guimaraes Bid Rejected, Release Clause Disputed
Bruno Guimaraes, who provided the decisive assist in Brazil's World Cup Round of 32 win over Japan, is a primary midfield target for the Premier League champions. According to Chronicle Live, Arsenal's initial £45 million bid for the Newcastle United captain has been turned down.
Claims from Brazil that Guimaraes has a £60 million release clause in his contract were quickly refuted by insiders at St James' Park, who maintain no such clause exists. Furthermore, the Shields Gazette reports that Newcastle have the option to extend Guimaraes' contract by an additional 12 months, which would keep the 28-year-old at the club until summer 2029 and strengthen their negotiating position.
Bouaddi's Rising Stock and Lille's Demands
Should Arsenal fail to secure Guimaraes, they may turn to Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi. The 18-year-old Moroccan has impressed at the World Cup, attracting interest from Manchester City, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, and Arsenal. According to the Standard, Lille have set a £70 million price tag on the teenager, but only if the buying club agrees to loan him back for the 2026-27 season. If Arsenal insist on an immediate transfer, the fee rises to approximately £85 million.
Arsenal are operating with a reported £250 million transfer budget under sporting director Andrea Berta, having already completed a £34.5 million permanent deal for Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen. Mikel Arteta is determined to strengthen his squad after ending the club's 22-year Premier League title drought in May, though they fell short in the Champions League final, losing on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain.
