Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has told Real Madrid to forget about trying to lure Bruno Guimaraes away from Tyneside amid speculation he is in their sights.
The 24-year-old Brazilian, a £35million January signing from Lyon, has been a major hit in the Premier League, but has been touted in both Spain and his native country as a replacement for Casemiro should he head for Manchester United.
But when asked if he could contemplate selling Guimaraes this summer, the Magpies head coach quickly responded with “absolutely not” as he looks to shut down any chance of his star asset departing after just seven months at the club.
Howe said: “We’re trying to build a squad here that we feel can take the club to be successful over the next few years, and we want to build that squad and enhance the group, not take away our best players."
Guimaraes arrived for a fee of £33.3m plus around £6.5m in add-ons at the start of the year to become Newcastle ’s third signing of the January transfer window and, after having to bide his time to earn his place in the starting lineup, eventually finished the season with five goals and one assist in 17 top flight appearances.
A number of eye-catching performances showed just how much potential there is for the 24-year-old to become a star in the Premier League and Howe insisted that Real’s apparent interest in the player was simply an indication of how well he has done since his arrival at St James’ Park.
Will Bruno Guimaraes become one of the best midfielders in the Premier League this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
He said: “Regarding speculation, I’ve got no problem with that as such. It’s a compliment to Bruno and how well he’s done for us. He’s been incredible, I think – and I think he’s only going to get better from this point. He’s a very valuable member of our team.”
Guimaraes admitted earlier this year that he opted to sign for the Magpies over Arsenal because of the nature of the project in the north east, and so it would be a shock if the Brazilian were to flee so quickly after signing for the club.
The midfielder has played every minute of both of Newcastle’s games this season and looks to be a guaranteed starter under Howe for the current campaign, although if he continues to be one of the standout performers on the pitch and impress for the Magpies, interest in him will only intensify.
And should Carlo Ancelotti’s side refuse to back down on their pursuit of the player in a year’s time, then it may only be so long before Guimaraes himself can’t ignore the possibility of playing for the La Liga giants and competing in the Champions League.
For now though, both Howe and the player in question will be fully focused on taking Newcastle to the next level this season, as they look to consolidate themselves as a top half side and even make a push for the European places for next season.
Guimaraes has undoubted quality and looks to be a real star in the making, although Howe can only hope that his impressive performances for both club and country don’t warrant too much more attraction from other potential suitors as the season goes on.
