Bruno Guimaraes quizzed on Alexander Isak's exit and the impact on Newcastle

Newcastle United's 2025/26 campaign will not be fondly remembered by the Magpies for many reasons.

While Newcastle held their own in the Champions League and made it to the semi-final of the Carabao Cup, the rest of the season around those things was pretty poor.

Things got off to the worst possible start before the season even got underway with our star striker, Alexander Isak, acting like a petulant child in a bid to force a move away from the club. He eventually got his wish with a deadline-day switch to Liverpool while Newcastle scrambled to bring in replacements.

The fact that Newcastle brought in Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade after the season was already underway is a big reason why both players struggled throughout the season.

Bruno Guimaraes refuses to lay blame at Alexander Isak's feet

However, it wasn't just the strikers who underperformed; it was everyone. Bruno Guimaraes has been reflecting on the season in an interview with AS (via Sport Witness) while out on international duty with Brazil at the World Cup. Bruno admitted that lessons need to be learned from last season.

“It’s been a season where we haven’t reached our full potential, and that will undoubtedly serve as a lesson for the future. 

"We haven’t been able to maintain consistency, and that’s had a significant impact.”

AS then pushed the Newcastle Captain on the Isak issue, asking if his exit had a detrimental effect on the squad.

"I see the process as a whole. I don’t think any single incident changed our course. 

"We lacked a run of good performances, consistency in the starting eleven, we suffered some injuries, and all of that played a part.”

Newcastle must learn those lessons

It was a very diplomatic response from the Brazilian, but we're sure that if he wasn't media-trained, he'd have had plenty more to say on how things unfolded.

Bruno Guimaraes has become an adopted Geordie since he joined in 2022 and absolutely loves the club, so we've no doubt that he was as annoyed as we were with how things went down last summer.

Newcastle absolutely have to learn the lessons from the last year. Not just with how the Isak saga unfolded, but also in terms of attitude and application throughout the season. We simply can't have another season like the last one.

Hopefully this expected squad shakeup will lead to some big things next season.