The worst thing that could possibly happen at Newcastle United, has happened
· Yahoo Sports
As I’m sure everyone is now aware, it has been widely reported that Bruno Guimaraes has made it known he is up for Arsenal’s back door approach, with snivelling peabodies in the media spreading agent-led propaganda about how the player wants out of Newcastle United.
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This will doubtless snowball while The Man himself convalesces from his bitter role in Brazil’s disappointing World Cup exit, as Fabrizio Romano doubtless prepares his usual raft of 20-30 tweets a day about how Bruno hates Newcastle/only wants London.
This is brutal for a number of reasons.
The sales of Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon could be (and largely were) viewed as great money for players that had failed to excel in the unacceptable preceding season. Maximum value to reboot the squad, for which hope flickered as a couple of promising young players looked set to sign, and in one case actually even did.
Bruno Guimaraes though, was essential to the plot. The heartbeat, the talisman, the one big name player we needed to retain. The man who escapes wrath for the underperformance of last season due to his being the only consistent performances and a huge raft of the damage being done during an absence that weakened the side exponentially.
Also, of course, we love Bruno. The smile, the celebrations, the swearing in front of Ant and Dec. His dad becoming a local celebrity and embracing his kids as Geordies. Bruno Guimaraes “got it”. He loved Newcastle and his wacky persona was a great fit for the city. The sight of him sobbing with joy on the turf at Wembley is one of the iconic images of recent years.
However, we all know that on a purely rational basis, a move is the right thing for him. Bruno has just excelled for Brazil at the World Cup, drawing attention that was already on him after four and a half years as Newcastle’s key player. United are unable to offer him anything like the wages our wealthy enemies can (Tonali’s astounding reported £275k+ per week more than doubled his wages and I’d expect something similar to be floated here). Bruno turns 29 this year and this may be the last chance saloon to go somewhere that can offer him realistic opportunities for the Champions League or Premier League title. Everyone, when offered such terms in their line of work would jump at the chance, even if it did come with an emotional wrench.
It’s just not possible to be that pragmatic unfortunately. This feels like the last dagger going in and the destination of the hated Arsenal, who we so nearly reined in before the disaster of 25/26, rubs it right in. I find myself almost hoping that Real Madrid come out of the woodwork with a bid to offer a more palatable outcome.
This move will wreck us.
Not only would we lose the one experienced attacking player the side would be built around, but the domino effect could be critical. The much-linked and impressive Johan Manzambi may have been tempted to a project boasting the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, but instead he’ll see an unravelling club conducting an undignified fire sale. James Trafford might have also saw his future amongst such luminaries, but would frankly be daft to choose us over Champions League bound Villa if such an option exists. The resultant summer scrabbling has the potential to make last year look organised and efficient.
Unlike the other mooted sales of its ilk, I am not 100% convinced this will go through. The difference is that, at his age, Bruno Guimaraes has next to no sell on value, meaning Arsenal would have to really want him as the fee would effectively be irretrievable. This may see them decline to go near the £80m minimum Newcastle would maybe countenance. Luke Edwards has reported that Bruno’s relationship with the club means he wouldn’t “pull an Isak” if no fee is agreed, so this would suggest it’s in Newcastle’s gift to just say no.
To some extent though, the damage may be done. We’ll know he wanted to go and it will feel awkward, especially if things don’t go particularly well in the season ahead. This would still surely be the lesser of two evils.
The avalanche of fees accrued from these sales, and the overall decimation of the wage bill, should give United a canny war chest to rebuild within SCR. However, the amount of talent needed to drag this squad up to standard seems beyond that at the minute. Even if it were, anyone having a stand out season would be hunted like those before them, with each summer a Groundhog Day experience as we settle into our standing as some chastened version of Brighton, upgrading people so they can get their move to the big boys.
There’s a plethora of blame here. Isak, for rattling the first sabre. Paul Mitchell, whose “big I Am” approach prompted this move, Eddie Howe for failing to use the squad to build on the success of 24/25, everyone involved in last summer’s transfer policy, the Premier League’s corrupt rulebook and of course the Newcastle United owners.
It all sort of comes back to the point that, when Bruno, Isak, Gordon et al were signed, they were joining an upwardly mobile club that had ambition. Ambition that they would see evidenced by a new training ground, an improved stadium and the benefits of the increased income it delivered. Instead they have belied our place in the financial standings by delivering on the pitch, only to be heavily let down by a project that hasn’t delivered on anything they were teased with. As a great man once said, it’s different than it looked in the brochure.
They’ll all move on of course. Just like Isak, Tonali, Ashworth, Mitchell and every other character in this play. We’ll be the ones stuck with Newcastle United in whatever form it is. At the minute, that feels a bit like a team devoid of experience and leadership headed for a struggle at the wrong end of the league.
I remember saying after Wembley last year that if it all unravels at least we have that one memory, that moment of success. It could well come to pass that it was indeed an isolated incident.
We stand at another enormous crossroads.
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