Newcastle United are fighting to keep captain Bruno Guimaraes as his potential exit would cap a disastrous summer, following the departures of Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali, and manager Eddie Howe.
The Magpies have already lost Gordon to Barcelona for £70m and Tonali to Tottenham for £100m, with Guimaraes now the subject of interest from Arsenal. The Brazilian has reported for pre-season but has expressed a desire to move to the Emirates.
Ripple effects from last summer
Newcastle's forgettable summer of 2025, which saw Alexander Isak join Liverpool on deadline day, set the club on a path to a first bottom-half finish in recent years. That had financial consequences, prompting players to leave.
Gordon's move to Barcelona was widely expected as Newcastle needed to remain financially compliant after missing out on European revenue. Tonali's switch to Tottenham, nearly doubling the £55m they paid for him, is more damaging to squad morale, as it signals a lack of ambition.
Midfield partnership under threat
Tonali and Guimaraes formed a midfield partnership that could be compared to any in the Premier League. With Tonali gone, Guimaraes' exit would leave new manager Matthias Jaissle with a squad looking increasingly mid-table.
Manchester United are tracking left-back Lewis Hall, who had the best season of his career. If Guimaraes is sold, Newcastle could financially rebuff offers for Hall, but the player's head may be turned.
Recruitment struggles
Newcastle have missed out on several transfer targets, including James Trafford, Marc Guehi, Hugo Ekitike, Joao Pedro, and Bryan Mbeumo, who have all joined rival Premier League clubs.
Despite spending over £100m on summer arrivals like Ewen Jaouen, Bazoumana Toure, and Sean Steur, the negative feeling around the club persists. Chief executive David Hopkinson claimed Newcastle could be “in the debate about being the top club in the world” by 2030, but such exits without heavyweight replacements put that ambition in doubt.
