Newcastle United could try and give star midfielder Bruno Guimaraes a ‘pay rise’ to ‘ward off interest’ in him, according to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie.
The 25-year-old has become a firm fans’ favourite since completing a £40 million switch from Lyon last January, catching the eye of a host of top clubs with a string of impressive performances.
Newcastle United news – Bruno Guimaraes
A recent report from the Evening Standard claimed that Chelsea have ‘expressed an interest’ in signing Guimaraes while Real Madrid are also ‘eyeing a move’ for him.
The Brazil international has previously addressed the speculation surrounding his future, though, stating that he wants to become a ‘legend’ at St. James’ Park.
“I never doubted the project, I believe in it. I always wanted to play in the Premier League, and I am now just enjoying that,” said Guimaraes. “The ground love me and I love them. I want to keep going.
“I want to be a legend here. Real Madrid is the best team in the world. It is nice. But it is just a conversation, it is nothing.”
The same report from the Evening Standard revealed that Newcastle are prepared to up Guimaraes’ wages to £200,000-per-week, a significant increase on the £160,000-per-week he is currently earning.
What has Downie said about Guimaraes?
Downie has informed GiveMeSport that he ‘wouldn’t be surprised’ if the Newcastle hierarchy ‘increased his salary’ as they attempt to keep Guimaraes at the club for the long-term.
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He said: “I don't think he's the sort of player who's going to throw his toys out the pram if he doesn't get that, I think he is a team player.
“But I wouldn't be surprised if they maybe kind of just increased his salary, shall we say. It's happened to a few of the other players of late as well, and they may not increase his deal, but they may just give him a bit of a pay rise to try and ward off interest from others.”
How well has Guimaraes been playing?
Guimaraes is capable of playing a variety of roles in the middle of the park and has registered eight goals and three assists in 31 appearances for Newcastle.
As per FBref, the creative talent has ranked in the 95th percentile for tackles, 94th for completed dribbles, 89th for blocks, 88th for shot-creating actions, and 83rd for progressive passes amongst his positional peers over the last year.
Guimaraes is one of the first names on the team sheet under manager Eddie Howe, and everyone associated with Newcastle will surely be hoping he stays put for the foreseeable future.