A claim has been made on Newcastle United gem Bruno Guimaraes and the prospect of him leaving in the summer transfer window…
What’s the talk?
Journalist Dean Jones has poured cold water on the chances of the Brazilian talent departing St. James’ Park before next week’s deadline.
This comes after a report emerged claiming that Spanish giants Real Madrid are interested in signing him after they sold Casemiro to Manchester United.
Jones told GIVEMESPORT:
“I’m told it is highly unlikely he leaves – it would be a massive loss and a massive disappointment. But stranger things have happened in football.”
Eddie Howe reacted to the speculation last week by saying that it is a compliment to the player and that the club do not want to sell him.
Howe should be delighted
Although the head coach made the club’s stance clear at the weekend, Real Madrid pushing for the player could have changed the situation and Jones doubling down on the unlikeliness of Guimaraes leaving should delight the former Cherries boss.
The Brazil international has been sensational since he arrived at St. James’ Park in January and keeping hold of him would be a big boost to the squad. Being able to hold onto him amid interest from the current champions of Europe, Real, would also send out a statement that they are not going to be a selling club under PIF.
They are seemingly not willing to cash in on their best players and this shows ambition and determination from the owners, which Howe will be buzzing with as it means that he does not have to worry about his top talents being snapped up.
In the Premier League last season, no Newcastle player with more than five appearances averaged a SofaScore rating higher than Guimaraes’ 7.25. Dan Burn’s score of 6.98 was the next-highest in the squad and this illustrates how important the former Lyon man was to keeping the team in the division.
He arrived midway through the campaign and ended it as their top performer, hitting the ground running as he scored five goals and assisted one in 11 starts.
This season, he is yet to score or assist a goal but he has shown his defensive quality. The 24-year-old has made 4.3 tackles and interceptions per match – more than any other player in the squad – and won 63% of his duels, which shows that he has been working his socks off out of possession.
These statistics, from 2022/23 and 2021/22, highlight his importance to the team and why Howe will be delighted with the news that Guimaraes is “highly unlikely” to leave.