Newcastle are reportedly fearful that they are ‘helpless’ to stop Paris Saint-Germain signing £100million man Bruno Guimaraes, with a potential approach ‘in the coming days’.
Guimaraes was the first big signing of the Saudi Public Investment Fund era at St James’ Park. Joining from Lyon for £40million, he immediately hit the ground running, with five goals and an assist in his first 17 Premier League games from midfield.
The following term – his first full season – the Brazilian notched four league goals and five assists, and that increased to seven goals and eight assists in the campaign just gone.
He was head and shoulders above the majority of his Magpies teammates in the latter, and it’s beginning to look likely that he’ll make a move to a bigger club.
The likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and PSG have all been linked with him of late.
Each are cash-rich and are therefore likely able to trigger his £100million release clause, which is active for part of the summer.
But according to GIVEMESPORT, Newcastle feel it’s PSG who serve as the biggest danger to them.
It’s said they are ‘confident’ that the Ligue 1 side are their ‘biggest threat to their attempts at keeping Guimaraes on Tyneside’.
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Newcastle ‘helpless’ to stop PSG move
The fear is not only that PSG will threaten Guimaraes’ time at the club, but that they will be ‘helpless’ to stop it.
Indeed, if they or any other side triggers the midfielder’s £100million release clause, Eddie Howe’s side cannot stop them from talking to him.
It’s said they feel there’s a chance the Ligue 1 outfit could ‘convince’ Guimaraes to jump ship.
That Newcastle don’t have European football themselves could contribute to that.
No European football hinders Newcastle
Indeed, they finished seventh in the Premier League, which would normally secure Europa Conference League football, but that eighth-placed Manchester United won the FA Cup, they get Europa League and Chelsea were given the UECL spot.
In three of the last four seasons, Guimaraes has played either Champions League or Europa League football, and while Howe is said to feel the lack of European competition will not hinder his side, going from the big tournaments to nothing seems something the midfielder would not want.
With PSG in the Champions League, and likely able to offer big wages, a move there could be hard to turn down.
The report suggests that the Ligue 1 side are ‘seriously considering’ coming to the table for Guimaraes ‘in the coming days’.
As such, the future of the Newcastle star could be decided very soon.