Arsenal and Manchester City face a fight to sign Bruno Guimaraes this summer, with Eddie Howe adamant Newcastle will “build our team around him”.
Guimaraes is attracting interest from title chasers Arsenal and City, as well as French champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Newcastle, however, are determined to hold onto the Brazilian and manager Howe believes he is settled at the club.
Howe wants to build his team around Guimaraes and is refusing to let transfer talk around the midfielder distract him.
“Well, if I think it is something you don’t necessarily have control over, then I don’t tend to worry about it,” said Howe, when asked about speculation surrounding Guimaraes.
“I think, it goes without saying, my thoughts on Bruno’s situation are that we want to keep him, we want to build our team around him. He’s an integral part of what we are doing.
“I think his form has been very good. He seems very happy and settled. He will be thinking about, of course, a busy summer ahead and where hopefully we can take the team with him as a big part of it.
“But, as I say, we are not in control of it, so let’s see.”
Guimaraes has a £100million release clause in his contract, but it is understood that is only valued until the end of June.
Howe has explained that was deliberately put in place by Newcastle to ensure there would be no transfer saga this summer.
“I think having that was well-planned and structured by the club, in a sense that there is sort of a finish point,” he said.
