Arsenal is reportedly targeting Bruno Guimaraes, a midfielder for Newcastle, with a potential offer of £70m. However, Guimaraes is not expected to force a move away from St James’ Park, as the two clubs aim to reach an agreement for the Brazilian international, who is valued at £80m.
Eddie Howe, Newcastle United head coach, has engaged in positive discussions with Guimaraes but has not offered guarantees regarding his captain’s future. Howe stated that the conversations remain private, but he described Guimaraes as a “great player” and “great person.” Howe also mentioned that he is not part of any speculation concerning Guimaraes’ future.
Guimaraes’ status at Newcastle
Guimaraes recently returned from holiday following Brazil‘s exit from the World Cup. He is scheduled to rejoin Newcastle on Friday and travel with the squad for a pre-season training camp in Spain. Howe emphasised that there is “nothing to say Bruno won’t be back training with us,” noting that Guimaraes is the captain and has been an “unbelievable player and person” during their time together.
The head coach expressed the club’s strong desire for Guimaraes to remain, stating, “We absolutely love him and, of course, everyone will want him to stay.” This situation draws comparisons to Liverpool‘s pursuit of Alexander Isak last summer, though Howe highlighted that each situation should be viewed independently.
Newcastle‘s midfield has seen changes recently, including the departure of Sandro Tonali to Tottenham in a deal worth up to £100m. New midfield arrivals include Sean Steur from Ajax and Aladji Bamba from Monaco. Steur played 90 minutes in a pre-season friendly against Gateshead, with Howe praising his performance.
Steur’s move from Ajax at the age of 18 for a fee up to £23m is considered rare. Newcastle is reportedly taking calculated risks with young talent before their value potentially increases significantly. Willem Weijs, who managed Steur at Jong Ajax, described him as one of the highest-rated players in their academy, noting his technical ability, composure, and vision.
Weijs also pointed out areas for development for Steur, particularly in the defensive aspect and physical conditioning. Newcastle‘s strategy this summer has focused on acquiring players aged 20 and under from continental Europe. Howe stressed the importance of supporting these new players and alleviating pressure on them to allow for their development.
Keeping Guimaraes is crucial for Howe, especially after losing players like Isak, Tonali, and Anthony Gordon over the past year. The club aims to retain key players while integrating new, younger talent into the squad.
Other transfer market activities
In other transfer news, Newcastle is rumoured to have made an offer for AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori. Meanwhile, Liam Delap is a target for Nottingham Forest, a year after joining Chelsea. Oliver Glasner, Nottingham Forest‘s manager, is looking to make at least four new signings.
Juventus, Roma, and Como are among the Italian clubs interested in Manchester United‘s Joshua Zirkzee. Manchester United reportedly has no plans to pursue Danny Welbeck, a former striker and current Chelsea target. Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips is reportedly close to another loan move to Sheffield United after being excluded from the pre-season tour of Asia.
Brentford is considering a move for Tottenham midfielder Pape Matar Sarr. A reported move for Everton‘s Iliman Ndiaye to Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal is not thought to be close. In Scotland, Rangers have held talks to sign Coventry winger Jahnoah Markelo, and former Rangers loanee Andreas Skov Olsen is set to join Turkish club Basaksehir. Real Oviedo‘s sporting director David Fernandez has indicated his club is in a strong position regarding selling their World Cup stars, amidst Celtic‘s interest in Haissem Hassan.
Boca Juniors has reportedly received an offer from the MLS for Marcelo Saracchi, whom Celtic had hoped to re-sign after his loan spell last season. Real Betis is reportedly preparing to make a move for Rangers midfielder Nico Raskin. Additionally, Lisandro Martinez and Alexis Mac Allister reportedly hired private security at their homes due to safety concerns following England‘s 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final.
Source: skysports.com
Dominic Hayes is the Sports News Writer at NewsGB, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with five years of reporting experience. He started on a north-east sports desk. He holds a degree in Journalism from Teesside University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Middlesbrough, he follows pro golf and amateur boxing. “Fast and accurate is the only standard worth keeping.”
