Newcastle's private response to Bruno Guimaraes rumours as Man City claims intensify

Earlier this month, reports suggested that Pep Guardiola has instructed Man City chiefs to make their move for Bruno Guimaraes in 2025, feeling the Champions must prioritise the signing of two midfielders next year.

It's an ongoing fear that Bruno could eventually depart if we failed to qualify for European football and/or a huge offer arrived from the likes of City.

However, a lot will depend on Newcastle's stance and an insight into how Newcastle officials have reacted to the latest Bruno rumours offers some hope.

Newcastle 'adamant' on Man City claims

If The Athletic are to be believed, it seems Newcastle chiefs are relatively relaxed on Bruno's future heading into 2025, despite links with a potential move to Man City intensifying.

During this week's Q&A session, The Athletic's Chris Waugh revealed what those at the top are believed to be saying on it all. He's been briefed that Newcastle are ‘adamant’ no approach has been made, suggesting a bid will not come in January with the winter window opening in a matter of weeks.

“Those inside Newcastle are adamant there has been no contact from Manchester City ahead of the January window and, for a signing of that cost and magnitude to be completed mid-season, it would be unusual for there to have been no movement at all already made,” reported Waugh.

“Newcastle, meanwhile, are determined not to lose any of their star players in January - Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon or Alexander Isak - and do not have the PSR need to move them on, either, with fringe sales likely to suffice for their present position.”

A welcome mental reprieve coming into the January window as the highly sought after trio would be incredibly difficult to replace - especially at the midpoint of the season - but Waugh hasn’t ruled out ‘Champions League player’ Guimaraes could be tempted with a move to City in the near future.

“Manchester City's need for central midfielders is acute and Pep Guardiola does hold a long-term admiration for Guimaraes, something he has told the player during (brief) exchanges. Guimaraes, too, believes he is a Champions League-standard player and undoubtedly there would be a temptation on his part to explore such a move if it became a possibility.”

Champions League return key to keeping star men?

There does have to be an acceptance of the difficult truth that if the biggest stage in European football evades us in the coming seasons then we are likely to lose some of our big hitters.

A difficult period for the project as the owners will have to prove the dream they sold to fans alive, but to keep our star men, especially possessing the qualities of Guimaraes, Isak and Gordon, happy we need to be aiming for Champions League football.

Though the Premier League is tighter than ever, with just six points separating fourth and 13th as we approach the halfway point, it will nevertheless prove an uphill battle this season to close the gap on the top four - but European football of any description may be the minimum to keep the squad happy.