Arsenal suffered a major setback in its efforts to bolster the midfield with Brazilian star Bruno Guimaraes, after Newcastle United rejected an initial offer of £50 million and demanded nearly double that amount to part with the team captain.

The British newspaper The Telegraph reported that Arsenal's management believed its opening offer would be enough to persuade Newcastle to part with their international player, but the northern club surprised everyone with a new valuation of around £100 million.

The amount demanded is similar to what Tottenham Hotspur paid to sign his compatriot Sandro Tonali, reflecting Newcastle's strong attachment to their Brazilian star, who has become the team's backbone since joining.

Despite Guimaraes being open to the idea of moving to the Emirates, where he would return to compete in the Champions League and mount a genuine challenge for the Premier League title, the 26-year-old player does not intend to enter into a conflict with his current club or force a sale.

Guimaraes' desire to join Arsenal reflects his ambition to take on bigger challenges, but his respect for Newcastle and the fans who embraced him since his arrival from French side Lyon prevents him from any action that could be seen as pressure to complete the deal.

Arsenal now faces a difficult decision: either significantly increasing its financial offer to satisfy Newcastle's demands, or abandoning altogether a deal that coach Mikel Arteta considered a top priority to strengthen the midfield before the new season begins.