Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has stated he is uncertain about the future of midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, amidst reports of a potential £70 million offer from Arsenal. Guimaraes has reportedly informed Newcastle of his desire to leave and join the Premier League champions.
Howe indicated that discussions about Guimaraes' future extend beyond his direct involvement. "There's conversations I'm not part of," Howe said. "I don't think it's fair to compare (to Alexander Isak last summer). You've got to look at it in its own right."
Despite the speculation, Howe emphasized Guimaraes' importance to the club. "He's captain of our club and been an unbelievable player, through the whole time we have worked together. I speak on behalf of everyone at the club, we absolutely love him and of course everyone would love him to stay," he stated.
Newcastle maintains that the player is not for sale and has not yet received a formal bid. Howe confirmed that Guimaraes is scheduled to return on July 31st, and "there's nothing to say he won't be back." However, he acknowledged the challenge of retaining top talent, stating, "We don't want to lose our best players. That's an obvious statement to make. Losing those big two is painful for us and difficult. For me, it's been another challenging summer so far."