Bruno Guimaraes has signed to a new five-year contract with Newcastle, but with the new conditions due to include a release clause worth more than £100 million and a partnership with Sandro Tonali proving unconvincing, the Brazilian’s future is more uncertain than ever.
Since joining Newcastle in January of last year, Guimaraes has been a revelation, quickly becoming a fan favorite and the focal point of Eddie Howe’s team.
Signing the 25-year-old to fresh and improved terms was a primary priority for Newcastle, especially after the signing of Tonali, who became one of the club’s highest earners following his £55 million move from Milan this summer.
European giants made failed proposals for Guimaraes this summer
The arrival of Tonali raised eyebrows with fans, not just because of the 23-year-old’s pedigree but also because Newcastle were expected to target a specialised ‘number six’ in order to allow Guimaraes to flourish in a more attacking role.
Instead, the Serie A winner was brought in as Howe’s ‘top target’, implying the Newcastle boss had a vision in mind to get the best out of him and Guimaraes, despite the overlaps in their playstyle instead of Tonali being a natural compliment.
But the pairing his been uncomfortable in the early stages of the season and Guimaraes now having a fixed market value could be the catalyst to his eventual departure if he and Tonali cannot make it work.
Why Bruno could become a financial casualty despite Newcastle’s riches
Tonali started his Newcastle career off perfectly, netting just six minutes into his debut, but the Magpies have struggled since, winning just one of their five games since.
The player himself admitted to teething issues with settling in and Newcastle have broken their rule of not hiring an interpreter in order to help Tonali adapt to the language barrier.
However, Tonali praised his teammates efforts of helping him settle and he has formed a bond with Guimaraes off the pitch, even if their chemistry on it is still developing.
How Sandro Tonali played on his return to Milan in Champions League
Both players fit the mould of hard-working and technical stars who are as adept on the ball as they are off it and their partnership will naturally improve over time.
But Newcastle find themselves in a lurch with financial fair play regulations and had to reluctantly sell Allan Saint-Maximin this summer to fund their business – and more key players could be cashed in on if the Magpies fail to continue qualifying for the Champions League, with a lack of sellable assets outside their star men.
As a result, despite Tonali’s recent refusal to rule out a return to Milan, Guimaraes may find himself as the odd man out, with the Brazil international’s new clause potentially taking his future out of Newcastle’s hands.
Any team interested in Guimaraes would have to pay a fee similar to what Newcastle paid for Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo this summer – a figure that most fans would consider fair – but with Newcastle’s ambitions of eventually building a title-contending squad, Howe needs to get the best out of his midfielders or risk one of them being pushed to the side.
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