According to reports, La Liga winners Barcelona can exercise a release option in the contract of midfielder Bruno Guimaraes of Newcastle United.
Following inquiries from Premier League powerhouses Chelsea and Manchester City, Guimaraes was mentioned as a possible transfer target over the summer.
The Brazilian international was kept at St. James Park after Newcastle promised they would not trade him before the transfer window closed.
The Magpies intensified their efforts to sign him to a new contract after witnessing one of their most valued assets draw interest in the summer.
The 25-year-old’s signing of a new contract to extend his stay until June 2028 was just revealed by the club.
Even if Newcastle may have for now resisted interest, there is still a chance that he could depart the team in next transfer windows.
Sport claims that a release clause in the midfielder’s new deal can only be triggered by Barcelona.
According to the rumor, the’secret provision’ would enable the Catalan powerhouses to sign Guimaraes for a reduced price.
Barcelona would only need to shell out about £60 million to land the player, which is probably less than Newcastle’s intended asking price.
Due to worries about Financial Fair Play, the La Liga team is now unable to spend this much money on a single player.
They haven’t ruled out trying to sign Guimaraes in the future, though, since he has expressed a desire to play for the dominant Catalan club at some point.
Since joining Eddie Howe’s team from French club Lyon in January 2022, Guimaraes has established himself as a crucial member of the squad.
In 32 Premier League games last season, the Brazilian scored four goals and provided five assists, which helped Newcastle finish in the top four.
In the first two months of the 2023–24 season, Guimaraes has continued to play often, starting 10 of Newcastle’s 11 competitive games.
