Bruno Guimaraes to Arsenal: Gunners 'make progress' in negotiations with Newcastle United as 'massive update' drops

Arsenal have reportedly made significant progress in their pursuit of Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes following advanced discussions over a transfer fee.

The North London club have identified the Brazilian international as a priority midfield target and are said to be desperate to secure an agreement before the end of July.

Guimaraes is believed to have already agreed personal terms with Mikel Arteta's side after enjoying an extended break following his World Cup campaign in North America, talkSPORT reports.

Despite Newcastle publicly denying any formal contact, the Gunners have reportedly submitted three verbal offers to test the resolve of the Magpies.

Arsenal 'make progress' in Bruno Guimaraes transfer pursuit

The aforementioned source hints that the two Premier League clubs hold differing views on what constitutes an official bid due to the heavy involvement of intermediaries during negotiations.

Newcastle are extremely reluctant to lose their talismanic captain, having already sanctioned the departures of Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon this summer, even though talkSPORT suggests an agreement could be reached for north of £75m.

Tonali completed a lucrative move to Tottenham Hotspur for a package worth around £100m while Gordon recently joined Barcelona in a £70m deal.

Although the Magpies have already strengthened their engine room with the arrivals of Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba, retaining their skipper remains a clear preference.

As such, Newcastle are under no immediate financial pressure to sell given that Guimaraes still has two years remaining on his current contract.

Howe admits uncertainty Bruno Guimaraes's future

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe recently admitted that he remains entirely unsure about what the future holds for his influential midfielder amid the ongoing speculation.

Former Magpies boss Alan Pardew has added fuel to the fire by publicly suggesting that the player has already checked out mentally and is seeking an exit.

Despite the growing noise surrounding his situation, Guimaraes is understood to remain a hugely popular figure in the dressing room and intends to act with complete professionalism.

However, both the club and the player are incredibly eager to find a quick resolution to avoid the saga dragging on throughout the entire summer.

While Newcastle are expected to reject any £70m proposals, Arsenal are reportedly willing to exceed that valuation to finally land their primary target.