Newcastle United is already moving to line up a replacement for Bruno Guimaraes as Arsenal nears an agreement to land the Magpies’ captain.
The Magpies are expected to lose the Brazil international in the coming days, and fresh reports suggest work is already underway to reinforce the midfield further before the new Premier League season begins.
ESPN Brasil’s Bruno Andrade reported on Thursday that Newcastle has identified Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha as one of two leading candidates to replace
Bruno.
The expectation is for the Magpies’ captain to depart, and according to Andrade, Newcastle are in negotiations with two midfielders, although it’s not clear if they’re trying to sign both or only one.
Andrade didn’t mention all names, but he identified Palhinha as one of those targets. The Portuguese midfielder, who returned to Bayern Munich after spending last season on loan at Tottenham, is considered a legit replacement for Bruno.
“Newcastle United have two midfielders on their shortlist as potential replacements for Bruno Guimarães, who is heading towards joining Arsenal,” Andrade said, per iMiaSanMia. “One of those players is Joao Palhinha. Newcastle see him as a good replacement”
While Andrade did not identify the second midfielder, he suggested the club is already advancing plans for life after Guimaraes.
Palhinha, already 31, would arrive with extensive Premier League experience after impressing at Fulham before joining Bayern Munich. The Portugal international spent last season on loan at Tottenham, where he appeared in 45 games scoring seven goals and completing three assists, but Bayern is open to a permanent transfer this summer as part of a squad overhaul.
If Newcastle does formalize a move for Palhinha, it would represent a shift from the summer-long model installed at the club, one resembling Borussia Dortmund’s and focused entirely on landing players for the future more than the present.
