BREAKING NEWS: Man City land a £100m last-hour swoop deal for Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes

BREAKING NEWS: Man City land a £100m last-hour swoop deal for Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes

Manchester City are reportedly interested in signing Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, who has a £100 million release clause in his contract. But what’s the true narrative about Brazil’s future?

Guimaraes signed for Newcastle for £35 million in January 2021, joining from Lyon while the Magpies were fighting for relegation. Since then, he has not only helped them avoid relegation, but also played a key role in driving them to the Champions League the following season.

The 26-year-old’s form has led to admiring glances from a host of the biggest clubs around Europe. Liverpool, Manchester United, City, Paris St Germain and Real Madrid have all been linked at some point with him.

Newcastle put a £100 million release clause in the midfielder’s contract, which is expected to expire on Monday, June 24 this year. With reports that City are considering activating it, we contacted Newcastle Chronicle’s Newcastle United editor Aaron Stokes for the inside scoop on the transfer rumours, Guimares’ short and long-term prospects, and how he would fit in with Pep Guardiola’s team.

What’s the Newcastle stance on Bruno?

AS: Newcastle United has always stated unequivocally that Bruno is an important component of their future plans. The supporters admire the midfielder, as do Eddie Howe and his coaching staff. Along with Alexander Isak, he is the Magpies’ most valuable asset.

Newcastle are aware that Bruno is a desirable item, so they included a £100 million release clause into his current contract, which expires next week, in a cunning attempt to deter any interested parties. That appears to have worked thus far, with Howe’s team able to charge whatever they see fit for the Brazilian starting next month.

Would they consider or welcome a sale post-release clause for PSR?

AS: Like many of their Premier League rivals, Newcastle have a close eye on their PSR obligations and will subsequently listen to offers for senior stars in the coming weeks. £100m-plus for Bruno would ultimately end Newcastle’s FFP concerns and radically transform their ability to overhaul the squad with top class additions this summer.

However, there is still little appetite to cash in on him. Instead, Newcastle are likely to listen to offers for the likes of Callum Wilson, Kieran Trippier, Sean Longstaff, Miguel Almiron and Yankuba Minteh in order to raise funds

.£100m is arguably fair market value for Bruno’s services but in the current football finance landscape it feels unlikely anyone will be able to cough up such a substantial amount this summer – something Newcastle will have been aware of when they drew up his release clause.

What’s the player’s view?

AS: Bruno, like Howe, has also been clear when asked about his future. The 26-year-old knows he will not find the adoration he currently receives at any other club given he is the main man on Tyneside. Should he stay beyond the summer, that bond with supporters will only grow.

However, the lack of European football is a big negative for Newcastle. When Guimaraes first arrived at St James’ Park, he spoke of crazy ambitions of playing Champions League football in black and white.

Many thought he was mad given Newcastle were in the relegation zone at the time of his move from Lyon. Obviously the Brazilian has fulfilled that dream at Newcastle already but another season without securing European football on Tyneside and he will likely be angling for a move to a bigger side.

How does he impact a team, what’s his best position and attributes?

AS: Most of what comes through Newcastle’s midfield comes through Bruno. Joelinton is the enforcer, Joe Willock is a box-to-box menace and it remains to be seen what Sandro Tonali will be under Howe. Guimaraes has a little bit of everything.

The former Ligue 1 star looks to break up play as a sitting midfielder without the ball and when Newcastle win it back, he transforms into an option who has a keen eye for a defence-splitting pass and a wealth of creativity.

It remains to be seen whether he is actually a proper No 6. Howe thinks he is. Others will argue he is more of a No 8. Bruno himself insists that is his favoured role in midfield.

Is he destined to be one of Europe’s best players over next few years?

AS: It’s hard to imagine Bruno not becoming one of the world’s best. Manchester City and Real Madrid, just two of the many interested teams, are very rarely wrong with their scouting.

Newcastle see week in, week out what he can do. There’s no wonder he is valued at over £100m. The Magpies know they need to get back into Europe if they want to have any hope of keeping Bruno long into the future.

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