Arsenal in talks with Newcastle United over a potential swap deal as they aim to negotiate down the £100m valuation…

Newcastle United has initiated discussions for a potential swap deal with Arsenal, as the Gunners aim to reduce the hefty £100 million price tag.

In an attempt to meet Arsenal’s desire for a reduced price, Newcastle United proposes a potential swap deal.

Newcastle United’s Brazilian midfielder has attracted attention from various teams in the Premier League and Europe.

Arsenal have reportedly revived their interest in Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes after facing difficulties in negotiations for Martin Zubimendi.

Mikel Arteta’s team has been monitoring Zubimendi for more than a year and seemed to be making headway ahead of the summer transfer window, having submitted a contract offer to the player’s representatives.

Real Sociedad would require the activation of a release clause of approximately £52 million for the sale to go through, which is considered a reasonable price.

Arsenal are still waiting for a response from Zubimendi’s camp and their frustration is growing due to the lack of communication.

Manager Arteta is eager to finalize the deal quickly in order to focus on their Premier League title challenge. However, this frustration has led Arsenal to explore other options, and according to Football Transfers, Guimaraes has emerged as a potential alternative.

It is anticipated that signing Guimaraes would be twice as expensive as signing Zubimendi, as the Brazilian midfielder’s release clause at Newcastle is believed to be valued at £100m.

Nevertheless, the report suggests that Newcastle may be willing to negotiate on the fee if it is not met elsewhere, taking into consideration profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).

Newcastle has been expected to lose a key player this summer, as stated by chief executive Darren Eales, who emphasized the importance of player trading for the club’s evolution.

While there is no urgent need to raise funds like other clubs such as Leicester City and Everton, the decision-makers at St James’ Park won’t completely rule out a transfer if it proves to be financially beneficial in the long term.

In any given situation, the decision to trade players depends on various factors. While it is challenging to speculate, if we were presented with a £1bn offer for any of our players, it would be difficult to argue against accepting it,” stated Eales when questioned about the potential sale of Guimaraes or Alexander Isak.

“There are several reasons why such a trade could make sense, such as the length of the player’s contract or an irresistible offer. Additionally, there may be a need to strengthen specific areas of the team, which could further justify trading a player.

“It may seem counter-intuitive, but within the inherent system of PSR, there is an incentive to trade players if we wish to reinvest, considering the limitations we face.

Every decision we make will always prioritize the medium to long-term benefit of the club. While it is challenging to provide specific details regarding certain players, I can confidently say that in order to achieve our goals, there are times when trading players becomes necessary.”

There have been reports suggesting that Arsenal is considering a player-plus-cash deal for Guimaraes.

However, such deals are notoriously complex due to the involvement of multiple players and their agents. It remains to be seen how far Arsenal will go in their pursuit of the midfielder, or if Zubimendi will finally respond to their offer.