The idea of selling Bruno Guimaraes is about as close to blasphemy as it gets for Newcastle United fans.
Our Brazilian captain is one of the most popular players who has ever come through the doors at St James’ Park, and, even though we all know there will come a time when he’s no longer at the club, nobody is quite ready to accept that reality as an immediate one.
Fortunately, Bruno himself seems to be as much in love with Newcastle as we are with him. Based on previous quotes, he claims his kids are Geordies; he practically bleeds black and white these days, so we shouldn’t really have much cause to panic.
There are always going to be rumours linking the 28-year-old with an exit, with Pep Guardiola a clear admirer before Man Utd’s reported interest was batted away by Eddie Howe last week.
Bruno is Newcastle’s highest earner currently, and will still have two years to run on his contract at the end of this season. The club have approached him about negotiating a new deal, hoping to extend it beyond 2028.
However, ESPN Brasil claims that Bruno has rebuffed the approach, for now at least. Instead, opting to wait until the summer to open talks, likely after the World Cup.
That seems to be a popular idea, as Tino Livramento has done the same, knowing that a good tournament will give them way more power at the negotiation table.
What was slightly worrying in that ESPN report was the notion that Newcastle would not stand in the way of Bruno leaving if one of Europe’s big hitters were to come in with a bid that met their valuation.
There’s a strong feeling that they wouldn’t entertain bids from another English club, which is some comfort, we suppose. And it would come as no surprise if Bruno only left for a European giant like Real Madrid or Barcelona, with Newcastle feeling like his one and only Premier League club.
It would still come down to Bruno at the end of the day, who has been an incredible servant for the club throughout this post-takeover era. Fingers crossed Newcastle has got under his skin as much as he has ours, and he couldn’t bear to leave.