Arsenal are reconsidering their pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes after Newcastle rejected rumours of a £50m deal.

Arsenal are weighing up whether to continue their pursuit of Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes after discovering the midfielder will cost far more than they initially expected.

Mikel Arteta remains a huge admirer of the Brazil international and sees him as an ideal addition to his midfield. However, Arsenal have been surprised by Newcastle’s refusal to negotiate at the £50 million figure they believed could trigger discussions.

The Gunners only entered the race after receiving indications through intermediaries that Guimaraes could be available for around £50m. While they always knew Newcastle wanted to keep their captain, they believed such an offer would at least open the door to negotiations.

That belief reportedly stemmed from conversations involving Amanda Staveley, Newcastle’s former co-owner, who was said to have suggested the club might consider offers in that region if they failed to qualify for the Champions League.

Guimaraes also has no release clause in his contract, which runs until 2028 and includes a club option for an additional year. That effectively gives Newcastle control over the midfielder’s future until 2030, strengthening their position in negotiations.

Arsenal have informed Newcastle of the financial package they are prepared to offer, but discussions have gone nowhere. Even with performance-related add-ons, the proposal has not exceeded £60m, while Newcastle insist any acceptable offer must be paid almost entirely up front.

The Magpies have made it clear that they value Guimaraes at a figure closer to the £100m Tottenham recently paid for Sandro Tonali. Although the midfielder’s representatives have argued that he deserves the opportunity to join a club competing for the Premier League title and the Champions League, Newcastle remain determined to keep one of their most influential players.

Guimaraes is understood to be interested in the move and has informed Newcastle that he would like to explore a transfer to Arsenal. However, he also respects the club’s stance and is expected to report for pre-season later this month unless Arsenal decide to significantly increase their offer and move closer to Newcastle’s demanding valuation.