According to El Gol Digital, Barcelona plans to sign Bruno Guimaraes, a Brazilian midfielder for Newcastle United, for the upcoming campaign. Barcelona intends to sell Frenkie de Jong to pay for the purchase; the Dutch midfielder’s exit is anticipated to create revenue and free up salary space.
When Barcelona tried to sign Guimaraes in 2024, Newcastle insisted on receiving the entire £100 million release clause. They will need to work out a lower price, perhaps including players or providing structured payments, even though Barcelona is interested.
Guimaraes is also being hunted by Manchester City, who see him as a crucial addition for the upcoming campaign under Pep Guardiola. However, it is unlikely that City will also pay the full release clause, so Barcelona will have to move quickly to beat the Premier League winners to the deal.
However, because De Jong’s contract is set to expire in 2026, Barcelona is eager to try to sign Guimaraes this summer. The coming weeks will be “crucial” for the Catalan giants to decide whether this purchase is feasible for them following a string of financial problems over the past several years, according to people familiar with the matter.
Barcelona see now as right time to swoop for Guimaraes
Newcastle will undoubtedly strive to retain a player of Guimaraes’ caliber, but it’s likely that the Brazil international won’t be regarded as being as significant as someone like Alexander Isak.
Isak is anticipated to draw a lot of interest this summer; if NUFC decides to sell Guimaraes instead, they may benefit monetarily and be in a better position to pursue Isak and possibly extend his contract.
Although Guimaraes had previously attracted the attention of Arsenal and Man City, it is presently uncertain whether they will revisit their pursuit of the 27-year-old this summer. According to CaughtOffside, City has shifted its attention to Atalanta midfielder Ederson, while the Gunners are in advanced negotiations to get Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad.
