Newcastle United spent much of the summer insisting they had no intention of selling their captain, but one conversation in Spain appears to have changed everything.
According to Chronicle Live’s Lee Ryder, the Magpies only moved toward agreeing Bruno Guimaraes’ £75 million sale after finally receiving a direct answer from the midfielder himself during the club’s preseason camp in La Manga.
Arsenal had been linked with the Brazilian for weeks, but Newcastle maintained no formal progress, let alone
club-to-club talks or bids, had been made until this week.
After first reporting the deal early on Wednesday morning, Ryder is now reporting that Newcastle’s hierarchy wanted clarity from Bruno before making any rushed decision, even though the Brazil international had already expressed his desire to leave Tyneside for London at the start of the summer.
“Newcastle transfer chief Ross Wilson was keen to hear all of that from Bruno himself, and while the midfielder was always committed to returning to training in La Manga, the club asked him what his vote would be on stay or go,” Ryder wrote. “Bruno opted to vote ‘go’, and the wheels were put in motion for a £75m sale.
“His reasons? The opportunity, a better deal and to move to London according to those close to United.”
The report adds that Newcastle had grown frustrated throughout June and July by constant reports suggesting the transfer was close despite no formal bid arriving, or at least that’s what Ryder has been told for weeks on end.
“Newcastle were baffled that the term ‘advanced talks’ kept being used but the deal never advanced at all in June or July, and talk of Bruno not turning up or a medical being planned for Monday proved false,” Ryder wrote.
According to Ryder, Newcastle ultimately accepted that keeping an uncommitted captain wouldn’t fit new manager Matthias Jaissle’s vision, even if the club had originally hoped to build around Bruno.
With a guaranteed transfer fee of £75 million, Lyon is due 20 percent of Newcastle’s profit from the original transfer. While the flat fee is understood to be £75 million, the overall package could reportedly climb closer to £90 million through performance-related bonuses tied to appearances, trophies and Champions League qualification, although Ryder originally reported the transfer included no add-ons, contradicting himself.
“Chronicle Live understands the £75m guaranteed transfer fee will be paid with no add-ons to get the full fee,” Ryder wrote.
Most intriguingly, Ryder adds that Newcastle’s recruitment team does not intend to replace Bruno with another developmental signing. Instead, the club is expected to pursue an experienced midfielder capable of adding leadership to Jaissle’s new-look squad.
Do you think Newcastle made the right call once Bruno made his intentions clear, or should the club have tried harder to convince its captain to stay? Share your thoughts with the Coming Home Newcastle community in the comments section below!
