Newcastle United are reluctant to sell Bruno Guimaraes to Liverpool even if the Reds meet the midfielder’s full release clause, according to Football Transfers.
The online news portal suggests that Newcastle might be open to letting Guimaraes leave in the summer for a sum less than the release clause, but only if offers come from Barcelona or Real Madrid.
Although the Brazil international signed a new five-year contract at St James’ Park, extending his stay until 2028, reports indicate that the Premier League club could demand €115 million (£98 million) for his services.
In addition to Liverpool, Eddie Howe’s side are said to reject offers from Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea for the South American.
Guimaraes moved to Newcastle from Lyon in January 2022 and has since made 86 appearances, scoring 11 goals and providing nine assists across all competitions.
Having played a pivotal role in Newcastle’s return to the Champions League after a 20-year absence last season, Guimaraes garnered interest from various clubs last summer, including Jurgen Klopp’s outfit.
Despite Liverpool’s £100 million offer for the defensive midfielder during the final days of the summer transfer window, the deal fell through.
Klopp, facing the departure of five senior midfielders, including James Milner, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, sought to strengthen the midfield, identifying Guimaraes as a potential transfer target.
Instead, Klopp brought in Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo, and Ryan Gravenberch to rebuild his midfield for the season.
The likelihood of Liverpool reigniting their interest in Guimaraes in the upcoming summer remains uncertain.
Speculation surrounds Newcastle’s financial situation, with accounts released on Thursday reporting a loss exceeding £73 million for the 2022-23 season.
Consequently, it is suggested that the club may sell players to offset these losses, and according to Diario AS, Guimaraes has been identified by the Newcastle board as the player who could help settle the accounts after the reported financial setbacks.
“We do discuss things on a regular basis so there’s no surprise to me,” said manager Eddie Howe following the release of Newcastle’s accounts.
“We’ve been working under Financial Fair Play restrictions for a long time.
“Selling players is part of every football club’s DNA now. It has to be with Financial Fair Play rules because we have to generate more income. To sign players, we may have to sell players. It doesn’t necessarily mean ‘star’ players, whatever is meant by that term, but certainly selling players will be something this club will do now for the foreseeable future.”
Guimaraes has racked up 30 appearances and made five goal contributions for Newcastle in all competitions.
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