Guimaraes’ Departure and Managerial Transition
Newcastle United manager Matthias Jaissle has stated that the decision regarding Bruno Guimaraes’ future was already finalised before their initial meeting. Arsenal is reportedly close to completing a £75m transfer for the midfielder following progress in discussions. Jaissle briefly met Guimaraes during the club’s training camp in Spain, after which the 28-year-old bid farewell to his teammates and club staff.
Jaissle, in his first interaction with reporters since becoming head coach, described his conversation with Guimaraes as pleasant, acknowledging him as a fantastic player and a great person. He noted that while it is a challenging situation, it represents a new chapter for Guimaraes. Jaissle also mentioned the need for the club to address the departure at a later stage, expressing confidence in the current squad while anticipating further changes.
Guimaraes is expected to be the fourth significant player to leave Newcastle within a year. Earlier in the transfer window, Anthony Gordon moved to Barcelona and Sandro Tonali joined Tottenham Hotspur. Last summer, Alexander Isak transferred to Liverpool.
Club Rebuild and New Signings
Despite warnings from club legend Alan Shearer about a potentially difficult season ahead, Jaissle views the club’s rebuilding phase as an opportunity to establish a new cycle and develop a youthful, ambitious team. He took over from former manager Eddie Howe. Jaissle acknowledged the departure of several prominent players, including club legends, but emphasised the importance of seeing this as a chance for progress, focusing on controllable aspects.
Jaissle has been concentrating on coaching the existing players, while Newcastle continues to work on securing additional players before the season begins. The club has reportedly shifted its transfer strategy this summer, focusing on acquiring younger players from continental Europe. Lukas Hornicek, at 24 years of age, is the oldest of the new arrivals by a notable margin.
Newcastle has reportedly spent around £146m to date on several new players. These include goalkeepers Hornicek and Ewen Jaouen, midfielders Aladji Bamba and Sean Steur, and winger Bazoumana Toure. None of these five players, nor Jaissle himself, have prior experience in the Premier League.
Jaissle, 38 years old, is embracing the challenge after successful periods managing Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia and RB Salzburg in Austria. He noted that while Premier League experience is not on his CV, it is a normal part of football to take a first step at some point, and he is now at that stage after his previous successes. He also mentioned that being part of the Premier League is a dream for many.
Guimaraes’ Decision and Arsenal’s Pursuit
Reports indicate that Guimaraes informed Newcastle management earlier this summer of his desire to join Arsenal if an appropriate offer was made. Arsenal’s initial bid was rejected, but a £75m fee has now been agreed for the Brazilian midfielder, who has been granted permission to undergo a medical examination. Guimaraes joined Newcastle in 2022 from Lyon for £40m, making 195 appearances and scoring 31 goals for the club.
Newcastle had hoped to retain Guimaraes, who had two years remaining on his contract with an additional club option for a third year. However, if the transfer proceeds as anticipated, the club will have generated over £240m from player sales this summer. This includes the £69.3m deal for Anthony Gordon to Barcelona and the £100m transfer of Sandro Tonali to Tottenham. The summer has also seen the departure of manager Eddie Howe.
According to one report, Newcastle was keen to keep Guimaraes and would have rejected offers if he had expressed a desire to stay. Attempts were made to persuade him, but he was reportedly firm in his wish to leave, believing it was his last major chance to win titles. The deal was contingent on Guimaraes wanting to leave and Newcastle selling on their terms, similar to the Tonali and Gordon transfers. Newcastle insisted on their valuation for the player, stating they would only sell him for a fee that would be among the highest paid for a player aged 28 or older.
The club also required the situation to be handled properly, citing Guimaraes’ attendance at the training camp in Spain as an example of his compliance. Newcastle reportedly did not want a repeat of the Alexander Isak situation, where he refused to train before his move to Liverpool last summer. Despite initial offers in the £40m-£45m range in June, Newcastle reportedly refused all pushes, feeling that Arsenal prolonged the transfer by not contacting them for weeks. However, Newcastle insists that relations between the player and the club remain positive.
The new campaign for Newcastle is scheduled to commence against Liverpool at St James’ Park on 23 August.
Source: bbc.com
