Former Newcastle United midfielder Jermaine Jenas has warned that his former club are heading into another Alexander Isak 'situation' this summer regarding the future of captain Bruno Guimaraes. Guimaraes has informed Newcastle of his desire to leave and join Arsenal, though no formal club-to-club contact has taken place over his sale.
Newcastle's Stance and Arsenal's Confidence
Newcastle insist the Brazilian international is not for sale, but Arsenal are confident they can secure the 28-year-old this summer. This follows the departures of Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur and Anthony Gordon to Barcelona, moves that Jenas believes have raised questions about Newcastle's direction.
Jenas's Concerns Over Newcastle's Ambition
Speaking to 10bet, Jenas said: "They need to go mad in the market, but I really don't see how they do it at all. There are a couple of players they've been linked with who are very good prospects. But when I look at Bruno Guimaraes, his age, and where he's at in his career – plus what he has already done for Newcastle – I just sense an Isak situation coming again."
Jenas added: "Unfortunately for him, there is a lot of talent that has already left, and he's almost like the last of the big dogs out the door. They might make his life very difficult, but they're not doing enough. If I was Bruno Guimaraes, I'd be looking around going, 'What's the plan here?' Because he should be playing Champions League football week in, week out, and every year that he's not, he's wasting part of his career."
Newcastle's New Transfer Strategy
Newcastle have already signed 20-year-olds Bazoumana Toure and Ewen Jaouen this summer, while 18-year-old midfielder Sean Steur's move from Ajax was announced on Thursday. Johan Manzambi could also join. However, Jenas does not believe this shift towards younger talent will convince Guimaraes to stay.
"He has been a very loyal servant. You never hear anything coming out of his mouth in terms of demands, and he has always been very well-behaved at the football club. You can't always say that about some foreign players when they go away on international duty and talk to the local press to get stories out. He hasn't done that. It's sad for Newcastle, but I don't think they can do enough to keep him personally," Jenas concluded.
