^ ^ Arsenal reach transfer agreement with Newcastle United to sign Bruno Guimaraes

Arsenal have reached an initial agreement with Newcastle to sign Bruno Guimaraes (AMA/Getty)

Arsenal have reached an agreement with Newcastle United over a €90 million (£77m) transfer fee for Bruno Guimaraes, according to reports in France.

The Premier League champions have already seen bids of £55m and £70m rejected for the Brazil international rejected by Newcastle.

Guimaraes has informed Newcastle that he wants to join Arsenal this summer and has already agreed personal terms with Mikel Arteta’s side.

According to L’Equipe, Arsenal have now agreed an initial €90m (£77m) transfer fee with Newcastle and the two clubs are negotiating bonuses and agent fees.

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The report adds that a complete agreement between Newcastle and Arsenal is expected ‘in the coming days’.

Guimaraes’ former club Lyon are also set to receive a fee in excess of €8m (£6.8m) due to the 20 per cent sell-on clause they had in their agreement with Newcastle.

Bruno Guimaraes has told Newcastle United that he wants to join Arsenal (Getty)

Meanwhile, talkSPORT reported on Friday that Guimaraes has asked Newcastle to delay his travel to La Manga for a pre-season training camp, which suggests his move to Arsenal could be finalised over the weekend.

Guimaraes was expected to return to training with Newcastle on Monday following his appearances for Brazil at the World Cup this summer.

The 28-year-old is keen to leave Newcastle in order to continue playing in the Champions League.

Newcastle finished 12th in the Premier League last season and will not be playing in Europe for the upcoming campaign.

Guimaraes’ desire to move clubs is also likely to be strengthened following Eddie Howe’s departure on Thursday.

Howe is said to have become ‘exasperated’ by Newcastle’s decision to sell Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon this summer, while he also expects club captain Guimaraes to join Arsenal.

Eddie Howe described Bruno Guimaraes as an ‘outstanding player’ in his final interview as Newcastle manager (Getty)

In what turned out to be his final interview as Newcastle manager on Wednesday evening after his side were beaten 4-1 by Bristol City in their pre-season friendly, Howe admitted he could not guarantee that Guimaraes would stay at St James’ Park.

‘Assurances… I don’t think you can push too hard for those. I think I’ve said many times you want players that are committed,’ Howe said.

‘Bruno’s always been committed here. His training performances, his game performances, have been outstanding. Every time he’s worn the shirt, he’s played with the fans by his side. I’d love to see that continue.

‘I think we want to keep all of our best players. They’re so valuable, and as I said numerous times, there aren’t many of them, and to get them and develop them is so difficult.

‘So when you have them, you want to keep them. And Bruno’s very much in that category, he’s an outstanding player.’

Asked if Guimaraes’ transfer link is creating a negative mood at Newcastle, Howe said: ‘Any distraction, if it’s not healthy, is unhealthy. So, yeah.

‘But we’re not in control of that. And to some degree, I don’t think Bruno’s in control of that either.

‘What will be, will be. We can’t control the forces that are at play here, we’ve just got to make sure that when Bruno comes back, we look after him and he trains well, which I’m sure he will do. And he makes a difference as he always has done.’

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^ ^ Gianni Infantino’s senior FIFA advisor quits in protest over World Cup plan

Carlos Cordeiro (right) insists FIFA’s World Cup sell-off proposal should be rejected (Getty)

Carlos Cordeiro, one of the senior advisors to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, has quit in protest over the World Cup sell-off plans.

UEFA’s 55 member nations have already voted unanimously to boycott all FIFA tournaments if Infantino’s controversial proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup goes ahead.

On Friday, FIFA hit back by accusing the media of ‘disrupting’ the consultation process and insisted ‘nobody is selling football’.

But Cordeiro, who is the former president of the United States Soccer Federation and was one of FIFA’s advisors on White House Task Force for this summer’s World Cup, has accused Infantino of acting irresponsibly.

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In a statement released on Friday, Cordeiro said: As a Senior Advisor to the FIFA President, a former banker, and a lifelong football fan, I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup.

‘Let me be clear: I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally. It is a bad deal for FIFA’s Member Associations, a bad deal for football, and a bad deal for the long-term future of the game.

The brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law is a potential investor in FIFA’s new plan (Getty)

‘Football has been central to my life, and after more than 35 years in banking, I understand both the value of this asset and the consequences of giving part of it away. That is why this proposal should be rejected.

‘FIFA already has access to extraordinary financial resources. The organization sits on billions of dollars in reserves and no debt. The FIFA President himself has highlighted the $15 billion in revenue generated between 2022 and 2026.

‘If Member Associations believe additional investment is needed to develop the game, FIFA already has the financial capacity to provide that support from its existing resources. Against that backdrop, selling a permanent stake in football’s most valuable asset to raise $4.2 billion makes little sense. It is mortgaging football’s future without any compelling justification.

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‘Such economic success was not accidental. It was delivered by experienced football professionals who shattered FIFA’s commercial records. Yet despite those achievements, FIFA is now being asked to believe that outside investors are needed to unlock greater value. I do not accept that proposition. The people who built this success have already demonstrated that FIFA possesses the expertise to continue growing both the game and its commercial future.

‘Most troubling of all is the absence of answers to fundamental questions. Why this deal? Why now? What oversight exists? Who benefits? Was there a competitive process? What governance will be in place? What will investors ultimately gain, and at what cost to football?

‘These questions remain largely unanswered, and yet Member Associations are being asked to make a decision of enormous consequence in barely 50 days or risk being left behind. That is not a responsible way to determine the future of the world’s game.

Why is FIFA's World Cup sell-off plan being opposed?

FIFA’s aim is to increase revenue from future World Cup and Club World Cup tournaments.

The plan is for FIFA to set up a new company called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to deal with the commercial operations.

FIFA would retain the majority share in FFE, which means it would still oversee football governance, fixture calendars and decisions on the pitch.

However, the problem starts with FIFA trying to raise a further $4.2 billion (£3.6m) through private investment.

Although private investors would only have a minority stake in FFE, they would still expect to have a say in decisions related to the World Cup, which could then have an impact on players and supporters.

Private investors could also pressure FIFA into expanding the World Cup, or even hosting the tournament more frequently than every four years.

‘This proposal has become a defining question for FIFA’s future. After careful consideration, I can no longer continue in my role as Senior Advisor to the FIFA President. I have therefore resigned with immediate effect.

‘FIFA’s responsibility is not to maximize commercial returns at any cost. It is to protect and strengthen football for future generations. When those principles come into conflict, football must come first.

‘It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve FIFA for more than five years and to work alongside dedicated, principled people who care deeply about the game. I hope they, too, will speak up, because decisions of this magnitude should be made in the interests of football, not those who stand to profit from it.’

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^ ^ FIFA hits back as UEFA plan to boycott World Cup over Gianni Infantino plan

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FIFA insists ‘nobody is selling football’ and will carry on with consultations over introducing private investment into the World Cup.

On Thursday, UEFA’s 55 member nations voted unanimously to boycott all FIFA tournaments if Gianni Infantino’s controversial plans to sell stakes in the World Cup go ahead.

But in a statement released in the early hours of Friday morning, FIFA blamed ‘incorrect media reports’ for ‘disrupting’ the consultation process.

FIFA said: ‘We have heard the feedback provided by the respective confederations in relation to the proposed establishment of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) and would like to address the issues that have surfaced since the initial media reporting on Tuesday.

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‘We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation.

⁠’Our planned consultation process was disrupted by incorrect media reports. We will proceed with this consultation process to ensure that each MA has the ability to express its vote based on facts.

The brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law is a potential investor in FIFA’s new plan (Getty)

‘FFE has been proposed solely to ensure that all FIFA Member Associations (MAs) have the opportunity to take meaningful ownership of the commercial opportunity of football in their respective countries, and that this does not come at the cost of either the spirit or the governance of FIFA or football itself.

‘Nobody is selling football. This is not something FIFA would ever entertain.’

Why is FIFA's World Cup sell-off plan being opposed?

FIFA’s aim is to increase revenue from future World Cup and Club World Cup tournaments.

The plan is for FIFA to set up a new company called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to deal with the commercial operations.

FIFA would retain the majority share in FFE, which means it would still oversee football governance, fixture calendars and decisions on the pitch.

However, the problem starts with FIFA trying to raise a further $4.2 billion (£3.6m) through private investment.

Although private investors would only have a minority stake in FFE, they would still expect to have a say in decisions related to the World Cup, which could then have an impact on players and supporters.

Private investors could also pressure FIFA into expanding the World Cup, or even hosting the tournament more frequently than every four years.

FIFA wants to create a company named FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to oversee the commercial side of the World Cup and its other tournaments, with a stake of up to 20% offered to private investors.

Thrive Eternal, an investment fund run by Joshua Kushner-founded Thrive Capital, is expected to lead the proposed investor group, FIFA said. Joshua is the brother of Jared Kushner, who is the son-in-law of United States President Donald Trump.

FIFA’s 211 member associations, including the English Football Association, have been promised windfalls of up to $40 million (£30.1m) each if they agree to the proposal by the September 19 deadline.

UEFA’s nations, including Spain, have threatened to boycott future World Cup tournaments (AFP via Getty)

UEFA reaffirmed their opposition to the proposal on Thursday with the threat of a boycott if other member associations vote through the proposal in September.

‘We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors,’ its statement added.

‘The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies. It has been built over generations by players, national teams and supporters across every continent. No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.

‘It is both irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such significance for football was conceived in secret and brought to the brink of approval without any meaningful consultation with those entrusted with stewarding the game. This is not merely a profound failure of leadership, but an abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football.

‘National associations around the world are now presented with an ultimatum: accept the irreversible capture of football’s greatest competitions or bear the consequences. This is not a “democratic decision”, but governance by intimidation – an act of coercion unworthy of an institution entrusted with the stewardship of the global game.’

After UEFA threatened to boycott future World Cup tournaments, the English Football Association said in a statement: ‘We stand shoulder to shoulder with our European colleagues and fully support the collective view. We oppose FIFA’s plans – the FIFA World Cup belongs to football and always will.’

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