Manchester City has maintained its interest in Newcastle United’s star player, Bruno Guimaraes, and is prepared to send one of two players on loan to St James’ Park as part of a deal to acquire him.
Guimaraes has been frequently linked with a move away from Tyneside, but Newcastle has so far upheld their £100 million valuation of the Brazilian international.
As arguably the standout performer in Eddie Howe’s squad, Guimaraes played a pivotal role in Newcastle’s impressive 2022/23 season, which saw them finish fourth in the Premier League standings.
However, Newcastle failed to build on that success last season and did not secure a spot in European competitions, leading to increased speculation about Guimaraes’ future.
Guimaraes is reportedly highly admired by Manchester City’s manager, Pep Guardiola. City is exploring ways to lower his price, as they are unwilling to meet the £100 million valuation.
Kevin de Bruyne has reportedly agreed on personal terms with Al-Ittihad, potentially paving the way for a surprising move to Saudi Arabia this summer, as reported earlier this month.
Manchester City is negotiating with the Saudi team over a transfer fee for the 33-year-old Guimaraes, whom Guardiola sees as a potential replacement for de Bruyne.
Replacing the Belgian will not be an easy task, given his significant contributions last season. As cited by several sports news outlets, City is willing to offer Rico Lewis or Oscar Bobb on loan as part of the deal for Guimaraes.
City is not prepared to pay £100 million for the Magpies’ star but could offer up to £80 million, according to reports.
This would represent a £40 million profit for Newcastle on their investment in Guimaraes, who joined in January 2022. His departure would leave a significant gap in the squad.
Since joining Newcastle, Guimaraes has made 107 appearances and provided 16 assists, demonstrating his quality and importance to the team.
Both potential loan players could be valuable additions for Newcastle, with Lewis and Bobb having already shown their capabilities. Lewis has proven his quality and versatility, being able to play as a defensive midfielder or right-back, which could be beneficial for Newcastle.
Bobb is also an exciting prospect, having appeared 26 times for Manchester City last season. Newcastle fans saw his potential during their encounter at St James’ Park last season.
For Guimaraes, an £80 million offer plus one of the loan players might be tempting. However, it is understood that Newcastle is extremely reluctant to accept any bid for their Brazilian midfielder.
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