Contract clause gives Newcastle leverage as Arsenal pursue Bruno Guimaraes this summer

Newcastle United hold a significant contractual advantage over Arsenal in any potential battle for Bruno Guimaraes this summer, with the club possessing an option to extend the Brazilian midfielder’s deal by a further year, according to the Shields Gazette.

Guimaraes’ current contract runs until 2028, meaning Newcastle could, in theory, tie him down until 2029. The club have publicly insisted the 28-year-old is not for sale, and the extension clause gives them additional leverage should Arsenal push ahead with a formal approach — which, as of now, they have yet to make.

The interest from the Premier League champions is nonetheless real. Guimaraes is said to be “seriously considering” a move, and Newcastle supporters grew anxious when he liked a post from transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano on Instagram linking him to Arsenal. A transfer to the Emirates would reunite him at club level with Brazil team-mate Gabriel Martinelli, whom he set up for a late winner against Japan at the World Cup.

The financial picture is complicated. Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte previously reported that Guimaraes has a £60 million release clause in his contract, though that figure has been disputed. Arsenal’s willingness to spend heavily may also be tempered by the player’s age — he turns 28 this year — and the club’s broader transfer priorities.

For Guimaraes, the pull of a move is understandable. A switch to Arsenal would bring Champions League football and a likely salary increase. Newcastle qualified for the Champions League twice under Eddie Howe, but last season’s 12th-placed Premier League finish represented a step backwards, and the club did not feature in Europe’s top competition this term.

Guimaraes joined Newcastle in January 2022 from Lyon and has since become one of the most influential midfielders in English football, earning 47 caps for Brazil and registering four assists at the current World Cup. Whether Newcastle’s contractual position is enough to keep him beyond the summer remains to be seen.