Newcastle United recently secured the future of one of their star players as negotiations for a new contract reached a successful conclusion. Bruno Guimarães signed a five-year deal with the club, extending his commitment until 2028.
Since his arrival at Newcastle last year, the Brazilian midfielder has proven to be a crucial asset for the team under the management of Eddie Howe. In the previous season, despite mainly playing as a defensive midfielder, Guimarães only missed six matches in the Premier League due to injury and started the rest, contributing to nine goals during the season.
His outstanding performances have not gone unnoticed, and his market value has seen a remarkable increase. Before moving to St James’ Park, Guimarães was valued at €30 million (£25.7 million) by Transfermarkt, but his worth has skyrocketed to €85 million (£73 million). It comes as no surprise that Newcastle included a reported £100 million release clause in his new contract.
However, a recent report from SPORT suggested the presence of a ‘secret clause’ in his contract, allowing him to join Barcelona at a significantly reduced price if the opportunity arises. Guimarães has expressed a desire to play for Barca, and this supposed loophole would lower his release clause to approximately €65-70 million (£55-60 million) exclusively for the La Liga giants.
Subsequently, another report emerged to dispute the existence of this alleged ‘secret clause.’ An exclusive from FootballTransfers has clarified that there is no such clause in Guimarães’ new contract with Newcastle. While there has been considerable interest in the Brazilian international in recent months, no club will receive preferential treatment when it comes to approaching him for a potential transfer, according to the latest update.
Guimarães has been a consistent presence in the starting lineup for Newcastle in every Premier League match this season, contributing both a goal and an assist. As the team headed into the international break, they were positioned eighth in the league, with European football firmly in their sights following an impressive 2022/23 season.