Newcastle United sporting director Ross Wilson has revealed that the club never intended to offload Bruno Guimaraes this summer. However, the 28-year-old captain, who arrived at the club from Lyon in 2022, made it clear that he no longer wished to remain at St James’ Park.
The Premier League champions are currently finalizing a £75 million deal for the midfielder after reaching a breakthrough in negotiations this week. Wilson admitted that losing a player of his caliber is “disappointing,” but emphasized that the club had to account for the player’s firm stance.
“What we had to weigh up was, very respectfully from Bruno with his behaviour towards us, very emotionally as well, he effectively told us he wanted to leave and move on,” Wilson explained. He noted that while a player’s desire to exit does not automatically guarantee a transfer, it becomes a significant factor once a specific valuation is reached.
Wilson clarified that selling the midfielder was never part of the club’s strategic planning for the summer window. Nevertheless, he stressed the necessity of remaining adaptable, stating that the organization must be prepared to react to unforeseen developments as they arise.
Although Wilson said it was “disappointing” to see Guimaraes go, he stressed the 28-year-old did not want to “play here anymore”.
