Liverpool ready to hijack Arsenal's move for Bruno Guimaraes
Liverpool has joined Arsenal in the race to sign Newcastle UnitedEdit Midfielder Bruno Guimaraes in summer. transfer window, according to the Spanish newspaper Diario AS.
Newcastle United, who have missed out on a place in European competitions for next season, are under pressure to sell players to balance their books this summer.
According to the report, the Magpies need to raise around £65m before next season and it is believed that Eddie Howe “would not be opposed” to selling Guimaraes if it meant Alexander Isak would remain at the club.
The Brazilian international has been valued at £72 million by Transfermarkt and if Newcastle offer a reasonable transfer fee for him, they would not need to sell any other first-team players.
Arsenal have been strongly linked with a move for the South American with widespread reports suggesting that Mikel Arteta He is interested in luring Guimaraes to Emirates Stadium this summer.
With Thomas Partey set to leave after another injury-plagued campaign, Arsenal need a top-class central midfielder to play with. Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, and Guimaraes has been identified as his main objective.
However, it looks like Arsenal will face stiff competition, with Diario AS claiming Liverpool have joined the race to sign the 26-year-old and are hoping to hijack the Gunners' attempts to sign him this summer.
The report says there is more interest from city of manchester and Paris Saint-Germain, although the midfielder wants to remain in the first division so a move to Ligue 1 seems unlikely.
Guimaraes is the missing piece in Liverpool's midfield
Arne Slot is expected to stamp his authority on the Liverpool squad this summer by revamping the current set-up, and Guimaraes is understood to have attributes that appeal to the Dutch manager.
The signing of Guimaraes would not be cheap, but in recent seasons the Reds have missed a midfielder from box to box. The Newcastle midfielder can play the central midfield role and, with his energetic play, is able to drive the ball into the final third and make late runs into the box to score goals.
Last season, Guimaraes scored seven goals and eight assists in the Premier League and also maintained an impeccable fitness record, featuring 37 times in the English top flight.
The 26-year-old still has the best years of his career ahead of him and could be an ideal long-term option for Liverpool, with a profile very similar to that of Georginio Wijnaldum, who triumphed at Anfield.
However, Liverpool face stiff competition from teams such as Arsenal in their pursuit of the former Lyon player. And any possible move will have to wait until after this summer's Copa América.
