Newcastle United will put up a major fight to retain the services of Bruno Guimaraes, with Toon chiefs determined for their club captain not to follow Sandro Tonali to North London. Chronicle Live has been told by well-placed sources that the Magpies are yet to receive an official offer for the Brazil international. It is believed that intermediaries put a £45m offer via the player's agent to Newcastle, but it was swiftly rejected. While there is talk of an increased bid on the way and a suggestion of a tipping point at £65m, the Magpies do not have to sell their World Cup superstar.
Newcastle's Stance on Bruno Guimaraes
As things stand, we have been told that Newcastle's stance on Bruno is that United have no intention of selling the South American despite the interest from the Gunners. The Magpies are aware of Guimaraes' concerns on the direction of the club but intend to make some dynamic younger signings and hand the Toon skipper the chance to guide Howe's young guns next season.
Newcastle's sales pitch, led by sporting director Ross Wilson and CEO David Hopkinson, is that younger stars can mark the start of an exciting, fresh chapter on Tyneside as Howe looks at life after Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali. They want Guimaraes to play a key role in leading that rebuild.
No Pressure to Sell
Whether Tonali's exit is the last of any big-name departures remains to be seen, given the unpredictability of the summer trading period, but on the morning after Tonali's £100m sale, Newcastle were focused on recruitment, not more sales. Newcastle feel they are under no pressure to sell anybody else at the moment and Bruno is deemed as a key star due to his leadership skills.
However, Newcastle chiefs know how the market works and how agents can turn a player's head so the Arsenal talk has not been dismissed. But what is true as of July 2, is that United have not had an official approach, bid or even enquiry on Bruno. But if that does come, it is expected to be rejected by the Magpies who intend to hold on to the skipper for as long as possible.
Contract and Agent Activity
Whether this opens the door to a new contract for Bruno is up for debate as Newcastle insist they have two years left on his current deal and the option of a further trigger until 2009. Bruno's agent Alexis Malavolta is jetting his way around the States to show his support for Bruno but was pictured with a key dealmaker who is well known to Arsenal following Brazil's win over Japan in the last 32 of the competition in Houston.
Bruno's agent is part of the Bertolucci group, which is run by Giuliano Bertolucci, the football super agent who set up deals for Gabriel Magalhaes and David Luiz with the Gunners. Fellow super agent Kia Joorabchian was also pictured with Bruno's man sparking fears that a Toon exit is being plotted, although the men insist they are simply good friends.
With the World Cup hotting up, Brazil and Bruno are on a collision course with England when the midfielder will go in against the Three Lions' two £100m men in Eliot Anderson and Declan Rice in what would be a midfield battle for the ages.
