Bruno Guimaraes deal: agreement reached, Newcastle holding firm
Arsenal and Bruno Guimaraes have an agreement. Personal terms are sorted on a five-year contract (2). The Brazilian wants the move (1).
Newcastle are not making it easy. Their public stance is that the captain is not for sale, and definitely not for £60m (1). But the pressure is building. BBC and the Guardian both frame this as a sliding doors moment for Newcastle, a summer of upheaval with their captain eyeing the exit (9) (10).
There is a bonus buried in this for Lyon. Olympique Lyonnais will collect a sell-on fee from any transfer, a windfall they did not have to work for (2).
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Meslier signs on a free
Illan Meslier is an Arsenal player. The club announced the signing of the former Leeds goalkeeper on a free transfer, adding depth behind David Raya (4). A low-risk move with upside.
Tzolis deal close at €41m
Arsenal and Club Brugge are near an agreement for Christos Tzolis. The fee would set a club record for Brugge at close to €41m (5). Friday's reports say the club is ready to finalise it (14). Tottenham and Juventus had looked at Randal Kolo Muani, but Tzolis is your man (14).
Rice workload managed ahead of Norway quarter-final
Declan Rice sat out England training on Wednesday. Workload management, nothing more, ahead of the World Cup quarter-final against Martin Odegaard's Norway (11). No injury concern.
The rest of the market: Dias, Rogers, Barcola, Nusa, Tresoldi, Alvarez
Arsenal have interest in Ruben Dias, but prying him from Manchester City would be a different kind of operation entirely (6). Morgan Rogers is also on the radar. The Aston Villa forward is not convinced he is worth the £130m asking price, and honestly, who would be (7). Liverpool are competing with Arsenal for PSG winger Bradley Barcola. Emile Heskey weighed in: "Signing Bradley Barcola would be an amazing coup for Liverpool because he provides the pace and directness we've been missing on the left wing" (8). Antonio Nusa at RB Leipzig is another name, with Barcelona and Tottenham also chasing (13). Club Brugge striker Nicolò Tresoldi, 21, has Roma and Atletico Madrid in the mix too (15). Julian Alvarez may get a reassessment after a quiet World Cup where Lautaro Martinez kept him on the bench (12). Liverpool directors have flown in to negotiate for an unnamed target Arsenal also want (3).
Fan reactions
The Bruno Guimaraes saga has the subreddit torn between excitement and skepticism. The Crook report that Newcastle want more than £60m has some fans questioning whether the deal actually gets done, even with personal terms agreed. On a lighter note, the Meslier quickfire questions video is doing the rounds, and a stats post confirms Arsenal are now the best-represented club at the World Cup with 11 players reaching the quarter-finals. Read the Bruno discussion here
