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Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe has opened up about how "painful" it is to continually lose his top players, as Arsenal intensify their pursuit of Bruno Guimarães.
The reigning Premier League title holders may be grabbing attention with their unexpected interest in Real Madrid winger Vinícius Júnior, but they are simultaneously embroiled in another transfer battle on home soil. Guimarães has become a prime target in north London, with the Gunners making a concerted effort to lure him away from St James' Park.
Following the rejection of a $73 million (£55 million) approach for the Brazilian, Arsenal are reportedly preparing an enhanced offer of $93.2 million (£70 million) to secure Guimarães. It is understood the midfielder has already reached an agreement on personal terms with the Gunners.
"I don't know what's going to happen with Bruno's future," Howe told Sky Sports following Newcastle's 1–1 preseason stalemate with Gateshead. "That's for other people to speculate about, but also conversations that I'm not part of."
The Hits Keep Coming for Newcastle
The departure of Guimarães would represent yet another devastating setback for Newcastle, who have already said goodbye to Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali this summer. The former penned a five-year contract with Barcelona, while the latter moved to Tottenham Hotspur in a club-record deal worth £100 million ($132.8 million).
That is on top of losing Alexander Isak to Liverpool back in September. Newcastle subsequently finished 12th in the Premier League, missing out on European competition entirely. The allure of joining a larger club with fresh ambitions is proving too difficult for some of Howe's key men to resist — particularly Guimarães, with the newly crowned English champions now coming calling.
"We don't want to lose our best players. That's an obvious statement to make," Howe said. "So, losing [Gordon and Tonali] is painful for us, and difficult.
"For me, it's been another challenging summer so far, but we're always trying to do our best for the football club, short and long-term, and try and get the squad in its best shape."
Where Howe Stands With Guimarães
Despite expressing frustration over his club's transfer situation, Howe had nothing but positive things to say about Guimarães, even amid the player's reported links to Arsenal.
"We've had some really good conversations, before the World Cup, during the World Cup and after the World Cup," Howe stated. "What we speak about obviously has to remain private, but just a great player, a great person."
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Guimarães arrived at Newcastle from Lyon in January 2022 and has since racked up 195 appearances for the club. He played a pivotal role in their Carabao Cup victory in 2024–25, helping end a 70-year wait for domestic silverware.
The midfielder's ambitions, however, appear to be outgrowing his commitment to Howe's project, and a new chapter could be on the horizon should Arsenal table a bid that Newcastle are prepared to accept.