EPL: Newcastle Want Guimarães To Stay, Says Coach Howe
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe has reiterated the club’s desire to keep captain Bruno Guimarães amid growing speculation linking the Brazil midfielder with a move to Arsenal.
Reports this week claimed Arsenal are preparing a £70 million bid for the 28-year-old, but Newcastle remain determined to hold on to one of their key players.
Speaking after Newcastle’s 1-1 pre-season draw with Gateshead on Saturday, Howe revealed he has held several positive conversations with Guimarães but admitted he could not guarantee what the future holds.
As reported by BBC Sport on Saturday, Howe was quoted as saying, “You’ve got to look at it in its own right,” he said.
“Bruno is the captain of our football club. He’s been an unbelievable player and person all through the time we have worked together.”
Howe made clear Newcastle’s position remains unchanged.
“I speak on behalf of everyone at the football club. We absolutely love him and, of course, everyone will want him to stay.”
“I’ve had some really good conversations with him before the World Cup, during the World Cup and after the World Cup.
“What we speak about has to remain private, but he’s just a great player, a great person,” Howe averred.
The Newcastle manager said he was not directly involved in discussions over the midfielder’s future.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen with Bruno’s future. That’s for other people to speculate about. They are conversations that I’m not part of,” he added.
Guimarães has been on holiday with his family following Brazil’s last-16 exit from the World Cup and is expected to return to Newcastle on Friday before joining the squad for a pre-season training camp in Spain.
Despite comparisons with Alexander Isak’s departure from the club last summer, Howe said there was no indication Guimarães would not return for pre-season.
