Arsenal have launched a £55m move to sign Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, with Fabrizio Romano revealing the latest on the situation overnight.

Arsenal‘s big focus so far in the summer transfer window has been looking at strengthening their frontline, with the club expected to make a formal move for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers soon.

The Gunners are also in ongoing talks with Leicester City over a deal to sign 16-year-old attacking sensation Jeremy Monga, who looks set to leave the King Power Stadium following the Foxes’ relegation to League One.

It appears as though the north London outfit will sign a new central midfielder for next season too, with links to the likes of Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, AS Roma’s Manu Kone, Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi and Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali in recent weeks.

It is actually Tonali’s Magpies teammate that Arsenal have made an approach for though, as they look to add more quality and depth to their engine room in their bid to successfully defend their Premier League title and go one step further in the Champions League.

Craig Hope broke the story first on Thursday evening, with Romano now providing more details on the move.

Romano: Arsenal Make Direct Bruno Guimaraes Approach

via Reuters

Arsenal making contact to sign Bruno Guimaraes came out of nowhere on Thursday night after no recent links, with Tonali the Newcastle player mentioned more alongside a move to the Emirates in recent months.

The Magpies are looking to prevent an exodus of players this summer, with Tonali a top target for Tottenham Hotspur, and Anthony Gordon already leaving to join Barcelona.

Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento have also been linked with moves away from St James’ Park.

Speaking on his YouTube channel overnight on Thursday, Romano revealed what he knows about Arsenal’s approach for the Brazilian.

He said: “I can confirm the information going around England, reported by Craig Hope about Newcastle, about Arsenal’s interest in Bruno Guimaraes.

“It’s true that Arsenal made an approach for Bruno Guimaraes. It was a direct approach on player side and club side with Newcastle, so Arsenal have reached out for Bruno Guimaraes. My understanding is that their intention was to try to approach for a deal around £55m, but Newcastle are not selling the player for that fee.

“Newcastle closed the doors to this approach from Arsenal. Now we will see if Arsenal return, if there is anything moving at the moment. Bruno Guimaraes is leaving everything in the hands of Newcastle, and he is respecting Newcastle.”

Bruno Guimaraes Would be a Great Arsenal Signing

via Reuters

Bruno Guimaraes has massive Premier League experience, is a leader and always gives his all on the pitch.

It’s no wonder why Arteta looks to have a keen interest in the Brazil international, who is one of the biggest characters in the Premier League.

The 28-year-old has even been labelled as ‘one of the best midfielders in the world’ by Gunners forward Gabriel Martinelli, who knows him well from playing alongside him in the national team.

£55m would have been a great fee to land Guimaraes for, but it appears as though it will take a lot more to convince Newcastle to sell their captain and one of their biggest prize assets.

Five years ago, Paris Saint-Germain was home to both Lionel Messi and Mauricio Pochettino. Today, you can find them both stateside, with Inter Miami and the USMNT, respectively.

Back in 2021, though, the pair were supposed to be central figures in PSG’s quest for Champions League glory, with the club having assembled one of the most star-studded squads in football history, featuring names such as Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria.

Instead, the Messi-Pochettino pairing turned sour almost immediately, with reports at the time suggesting the Argentine superstar had serious doubts over his compatriot’s tactics and grip on the dressing room.

So, what actually went wrong between the two?

Lionel Messi’s Doubts Over Mauricio Pochettino’s Tactics

Messi was said to believe Pochettino’s setup was simply too restrictive, with him being utilised as an attacking midfielder most of the time, rather than his preferred position on the right flank.

The numbers backed up some of that frustration, with Messi managing just six league goals, compared to the 30 he scored for Barcelona in La Liga the season before, although he found considerably more joy in the Champions League, scoring five goals in seven matches.

French outlet L’Equipe reported that those in Messi’s inner circle feared Pochettino lacked any authority, with respect for the manager being near-enough non-existent among PSG’s biggest names.

Looking back, the warning signs were there from Messi’s very first appearance at the Parc des Princes. Coming on against Lyon, Messi was substituted in the 75th minute and refused to shake Pochettino’s hand as he walked off, a moment that hinted at the friction to come.

That early snub proved to be more than just a one-off flash of frustration. In early 2022, Messi was accused of “disrespecting” Pochettino after deciding to stay home with COVID-19 and not inform his manager.

Pochettino would eventually depart the Parc des Princes, while Messi stayed another year, but both of their PSG spells are now remembered as a chapter that never matched the hype, after getting nowhere near the Champions League title they looked destined to win, on paper at least.

Rory McIlroy has had a stellar 2026 by any reasonable standard, with his only win coming in the defence of the Masters title he won to take the Career Grand Slam.

He became only the fourth man in history to do so at Augusta National. Yet, despite that career-defining triumph, the Northern Irishman’s relationship with the PGA Tour itself is becoming increasingly complicated.

McIlroy has made no secret of wanting to play golf on his own terms these days, picking and choosing his tournaments rather than following the tour’s hefty schedule.

Many would argue that someone so successful, both competitively and financially, has the right to choose when they turn up. The trouble is, the PGA Tour has rules about minimum appearances, and McIlroy is dangerously close to breaking one of them.

Why Rory McIlroy Could Lose His PGA Tour Card

Tour regulations require members to play at least 15 official events each season to retain their card. Back in 1986, the late Seve Ballesteros was banned for an entire season whilst he was world number one, after playing just nine events the previous year, having ironically lobbied to raise the threshold himself in 1984.

McIlroy’s schedule has shrunk significantly, dropping from 19 events in 2024 to 16 in 2025, and just nine so far this year.

The Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Birkdale will push that to 11, but with no plans to enter the 3M Open, the Wyndham Championship, or any FedExCup Fall events, even a clean sweep of the three playoff tournaments would only take him to 14. That leaves him one short and, therefore, risking a ban.

Will The PGA Tour Actually Punish Rory McIlroy?

Realistically, a Ballesteros-style ban feels almost unthinkable in 2026. Golf has never been more global, and McIlroy remains its most marketable face, someone the Tour simply can’t afford to put on the shelf for a year.

There’s likely to be some quiet negotiations behind closed doors, possibly even a tweak to the rules themselves, rather than any genuine sanction. That won’t be confirmed for a while, but McIlroy has seemingly earned enough goodwill, and silverware, to dictate his own terms, even if the rulebook says otherwise.