Arsenal are proving to be a total embarrassment in this 2026 summer transfer window.
Back in the 1970s Liverpool kicked off a long-term reign as they became the overwhelmingly dominant English football club, who could then force transfer deals at often very advantageous terms for the very best players as they were so desperate to sign for the scousers.
Back in the 1990s Manchester United kicked off a long-term reign as they became the overwhelmingly dominant English football club, who could then force transfer deals at often very advantageous terms for the very best players as they were so desperate to sign for Man U.
Back to the present day and Arsenal win first title in 22 years and are so deluded they think this is where they are now at. The new all dominant English club who can force through below market price deals for the very best players.
Arsenal were desperate to sign Morgan Rogers and tried to force a deal through for a ridiculously low £80m, Chelsea then agreed to pay £117m for Aston Villa’s best player. Arsenal declined to go above their £80m valuation.
Now the Arsenal fan journalist who writes for The Athletic reports on Tuesday: ‘Arsenal maintain their interest in Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes. Again, Arsenal have a clear valuation for the player, and will only proceed with the deal if Newcastle are willing to negotiate within those parameters. Alternatively, Arsenal will move on to other targets.’
Arsenal and their pet journalists are beyond embarrassing. How they are so slavishly willing to act on behalf of the Gunners, tapping up players on their behalf and then becoming outraged when other clubs aren’t willing to sell at bargain prices well below market value that Arsenal have dreamt up.
They seem blinded to the reality that the seller sets the price (valuation) and then the buyer decides whether they are willing to pay that price (valuation).
The Arsenal journalists and the Arsenal fans, in many instances exactly the same people, are also desperate for everybody to believe that Newcastle United are willing sellers. That it is just a case of eventually getting into negotiations and the two clubs will be happy to do a deal, meeting somewhere in the middle.
Newcastle United are in no way willing sellers in this case, they have already sacrificed Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali to satisfy the Gods of SCR and to give themselves the flex to be able to bring in their own transfer targets, so in no way do Eddie Howe and NUFC want to lose their best player, their captain, their talisman.
It is like somebody knocking on your door and saying they will give you 100 grand for it. You reply that based on what other houses in your street are going for, the market price for your place is around 200 grand. On top of that though, you really don’t want to sell as you love your house so much, so in that case it means you only might be an unwilling seller if the buyer gives you 250 grand.
Arsenal are acting like a kid turning up at the sweet shop and saying they want to pay 50p for the £1 chocolate bar, then crying when you refuse to bend to their will.
The latest amongst the pet Arsenal journalists and fans is that they think their club has now made a huge concession serious with an alleged move from a position of willing to pay £55m-£60m, to now supposedly £65m-£70m.
This transfer window is shaping up to be one that breaks all previous records and prices paid such a £100m for Sandro Tonali, £116m for Elliot Anderson, £117m for Morgan Rogers.
Bruno Guimaraes is better than all three of these.
But Bruno is 29 (actually 28 but why let facts get in the way…) they cry, how can Newcastle United claim such a ridiculous valuation???
Newcastle United are NOT the ones who are desperately trying to convince Arsenal that their most important player is worth whatever. It is up to Arsenal to convince Newcastle United that they are willing to offer so much money that makes it unrealistic to turn their bid down, even though NUFC are desperate to keep the Brazil international.
Lionel Messi has at the age of 39 just failed by the finest of margins to single-handedly win the World Cup. With the way many top players look after themselves these days (Ronaldo is 41 and Modric 40) why would it be unreasonable to expect the total professional that is Bruno Guimaraes to not have at least another six years at the top, when he will still only be 34? Especially when the Newcastle United captain is somebody who has never relied on pace.
There were (dubious) claims that Newcastle United had seen a £46m offer for Lucas Bergvall turned down by Tottenham. Leaving aside for a minute what the truth of that story actually was, lets imagine a scenario of say Newcastle United selling Bruno for £60m and buying Bergvall for £50m as his replacement. Using my house selling analogy, that is like somebody expecting you to sell the three bedroom house you love and in return you get a slightly more modern two bedroom flat that you aren’t really interested in and a few quid on top.
This all feels like Arsenal having embarked on a lengthy dirty tricks campaign to try and unsettle Bruno Guimaraes, using client journalists to do that dirty work with continual stirring.