Bruno Guimaraes ‘will NOT travel with Newcastle squad to La Manga training camp’ as Arsenal close in on transfer

BRUNO GUIMARAES will NOT be on the plane taking Newcastle stars to Spain today, according to reports. The Magpies are heading for a pre-season training camp in La Manga but their wantaway captain will arrive later than his team-mates. Bruno Guimaraes is due to arrive in La Manga on Sunday Credit: Reuters Newcastle have made plans to jet Guimaraes out on Sunday due to the extended holiday he was given after Brazil were knocked out of the World Cup by Norway on July 5, according to The Chronicle. But there are growing fears that his spell with the Toon is coming to an end. Sign up for the Arsenal newsletter Thank you! The midfielder, 28, informed the St James’ Park hierarchy several weeks ago that he wants to join Arsenal. And SunSport reported on Thursday that the Gunners are closing in on a deal which will be worth over £70million. Eddie Howe quit after five years as Newcastle boss this week, with reports indicating that his belief the club would sell Guimaraes was ‘the final straw’. Mags chiefs hope that man-to-man talks with incoming manager Matthias Jaissle will convince their skipper to stay. But Arsenal may be encouraged by Guimaraes delaying his trip to Spain. Newcastle are grafting behind the scenes to get Jaissle’s appointment over the line so that he can start taking training in La Manga this weekend. Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK The German, 38, is set to sign a four-year contract and will bring in his own backroom team after a compensation fee was agreed between the Magpies and Al-Ahli. Newcastle still have four pre-season friendlies lined up, starting with Valencia on August 8. But Jaissle will be left with just over three weeks to get up to speed before the Premier League season gets underway with a daunting double-header against Liverpool and Tottenham. Losing Guimaraes would be a major blow to Newcastle, with the former Lyon star a nailed-on starter all the way through his four-and-a-half-season stint in the North East. Comment now