It was probably not what anyone at Newcastle United wanted to read the morning after the night before.
Bruno Guimaraes, it was claimed by Reuters and a Brazilian journalist who has reported before on the Newcastle skipper, was in “advanced negotiations” over a £69m move to Manchester United.
In terms of timing, just at the point when the Magpies are licking their wounds after a 7-2 Champions League defeat to Barcelona, Newcastle fans needed it like a sore head after too many Spanish cervezas.
It should come as some relief, then, that multiple Newcastle sources told The i Paper it was news to them that their skipper, who was out in Spain to support the team as he steps up his recovery from injury, was close to leaving.
That denial, from the heart of the club, should assuage a few black and white concerns ahead of this weekend’s crucial Tyne-Wear derby. But the experience of last summer – when Alexander Isak’s future stalked the entire off-season – means Newcastle nerves are tightly wound ahead of another big summer.
Perhaps fans should buckle up. In addition to the summer of incomings – at least four starters are being sought, with a goalkeeper, striker, right-back and midfielder on their shopping list – it feels likely that there will be a high-profile outgoing on too.
There will certainly be links. Sandro Tonali is wanted – Manchester City, United and Arsenal are among those keen – while lack of progress on Tino Livramento’s contract means he may be available too. Arsenal are confirmed admirers, The i Paper can confirm.
You can probably add Anthony Gordon into that too after his impressive Champions League form. Lewis Hall is clearly an elite performer in the making.
The good news? Newcastle are in a position of strength on all of them. Prices quoted will be sky high. They absolutely won’t sell all of them and the sort of names they are looking to recruit – we are told – will send a message on their ambition. If they have a European campaign to plan for, and they can strike for that now with more time in between league games, they can retain their best.
None of those listed above are the same sort of unicorn that Alexander Isak was – someone with a unique skillset that it was virtually impossible to replicate. Central midfielders are easier to replace if you do it well.
And it was always signposted that player trading would be required, right? The key is to do it well and be more decisive than rudderless Newcastle were with Isak.
They dropped the ball there and recruited his replacements poorly. It is a mistake that will have a legacy beyond the first few months of this season and may require a sale below a player’s book value, which is a heavy blow in the PSR era.
Learning their lessons – a mantra many inside Newcastle have spoken about – is key. And in sporting director Ross Wilson they have a skilled operator at the wheel who has Eddie Howe’s trust. The mood is positive, even if there may be difficult decisions and days ahead.
A byproduct of the decision to sell Isak was also cementing the idea that Newcastle aren’t quite yet the destination club for marquee names.
Some feared his agitation created a blueprint for players who wanted to go. But Isak’s issues after going on strike all summer – clearly undercooked and effectively torching a season of his career – mean anyone looking to emulate him is taking bad advice.
Indeed Howe said in Barcelona that Tonali is “totally committed” to the club, however irritated he may have been by recent agent quotes.
Newcastle’s wanted men have done well by the club. The grass isn’t always greener.
from Football - The i Paper https://ift.tt/xNPouCA
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