Bruno Guimaraes is attracting interest from Arsenal in the summer transfer window with fans sweating over his future
Bruno Guimaraes
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Brazil's exit from the World Cup over the weekend sent shockwaves around the world but it also brought forward the focus surrounding the future of Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes.
The 28-year-old impressed with his performances for the Selecao, registering four assists in the competition, but saw his penalty saved on Sunday as they were beaten 2-1 by Norway in the last 16.
The heartbreaking manner of their exit has no doubt left the 28-year-old hurting and he will need time to recover before concentrating on the next steps of his club career as he prepares to return to the Knox Hydration training centre after a brief break.
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Arsenal are interested in signing Guimaraes this summer but, unlike Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon who were allowed to leave the club to join Tottenham and Barcelona respectively, Newcastle are adamant he is not for sale.
Guimaraes has never shown any indication or agitation to leave the club either but has two years left on his contract and, given his age, we are approaching a point where he either signs an improved contract or he may look at avenues away from the club.
The second of those options is completely unpalatable and it is hopeful the signings of Ewen Jaouen, Bazoumana Toure and Sean Steurs, as well as targeting Switzerland World Cup hero Johan Manzambi, will encourage him things are moving in the right direction.
Newcastle want the former Lyon star to lead their rebuild and his experience and quality is seen as key to nurturing some of the top young talent at the club and we are closer to Guimaraes being back in the building for those conversations with club officials able to take place.
Newcastle's first team will return to pre-season training on Monday, July 13, and know they have pre-season matches against Darlington, Gateshead, Bristol City, Valencia, Everton and Bayer Leverkusen before finishing up against unnamed opponents at St James' Park before their Premier League opener against Liverpool on Sunday, August 23.
Howe had previously confirmed that any Newcastle player who featured in the World Cup would get 'roughly three weeks' off before returning to Tyneside for pre-season action.
"It is an interesting one because it will be different with the World Cup," Howe told reporters back in May.
"We plan to come back around the 13th of July which is a week longer than normal because of the World Cup. We will go away to Spain in La Manga for around 10 days so there will be no huge long flight for the players this time in line with the World Cup.
"With the travel those players will do we are trying to keep things really simple because we have to make sure the players are in the best physical condition. The World Cup players will get roughly around three weeks off, depending on when they exit the competition."
Working off that theory, that means Guimaraes will be back in pre-season training with Newcastle around Monday, July 27, meaning he could be available for the trip to Bristol City a couple of days later.
Should that return date be put back for whatever reason he should at the very least be involved in the Magpies' training camp in La Manga before their friendly clash with Valencia.
While conversations with agents, intermediaries and club officials will take place in the meantime, it is only then when Guimaraes is back on Tyneside, around Howe, the coaching staff and his team-mates, will we get absolute clarity of which direction things are heading in when it comes to the Brazil international's future.