Manchester City are reportedly interested in Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes. The 26-year-old Brazilian is one of Newcastle’s star players and has also been the subject of interest from Arsenal.
Man City are facing an uncertain summer regarding their midfielders. Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Matheus Nunes, Kalvin Phillips, and Mateo Kovacic are all linked with moves away from the Etihad. Keeping these potential exits in mind, Pep Guardiola appears to have found his top transfer target for the midfield in Guimaraes.
The Brazilian enjoyed his first taste of senior football with Athletico Paranaense. The midfielder impressed fans and scouts alike in his two seasons in the Brazilian Serie A, attracting significant interest from Europe.
Olympique Lyonnais won the race for Guimaraes, signing him for a reported £18 million fee. Consistent performances in Ligue 1 followed, and before long Newcastle were interested in signing him. Attracted by the ambition of the new Saudi ownership, Guimarães signed for the English club for a fee in the region of £40 million.
Guimaraes is an exceptional player in the middle. A good dribbler with a fine first touch, the Brazilian showcases exceptional vision and ability in his passes. In addition to his playmaking skills, the 26-year-old is diligent in his defensive duties, winning plenty of balls back for his team.’
Newcastle are said to be in some trouble with Financial Fair Play (FFP), with the Magpies rumored to be forced to sell one of their star players to balance the books. Guimaraes has a £100 million release clause in his contract which expires on June 24th. While City have substantial interest in the player, they believe that £100 million is too high a fee for the player.
Newcastle on the other hand will not entertain any offer below the release clause. On top of that, once the release clause expires, they will have the freedom to demand a much higher fee than £100 million. With Guimaraes’ arrival dependent on the futures of the current City players, the deal remains tricky to complete.
