Newcastle's summer reset hits snag with Bruno to Arsenal talk and Manzambi to Villa

They've already shipped out Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali this window. Rumors say ten squad spots could change hands. But here’s the rub: turns out keeping the good ones is a lot tougher than offloading dead weight.

Bruno Guimaraes, their big earner, doesn't want to hang around. He's told the club, plain as day, he'd fancy a move to Arsenal. Not about the cash, apparently. He just doesn't see trophies showing up at St James' Park anytime soon. Sky Sports' Keith Downie spilled the beans: no official transfer request, sure, but the midfielder made his intentions clear. Wants to be a Gunner if the right bid lands. Newcastle would want around £80m just to pick up the phone. Arsenal, of course, haven't bothered calling yet.

Then there's Manzambi. That one really smarts. Newcastle had a £49m deal with Freiburg all but done. Personal terms sorted. The Swiss defender was theirs. But they dithered. Waited for him to finish the World Cup. Big mistake. Aston Villa, seeing an opening, pounced. Matched the fee. Dangled Champions League football. Goodbye, Manzambi.

Keith Downie reckons Manzambi makes it ten failed targets since summer 2024. Ten. Newcastle still pretend they’re bringing in three or four more. They’re apparently still sniffing around Manchester City's James Trafford. And a new full-back, too. Good luck with that.