‘None of us wanted to sell Bruno’ – Wilson admits Guimaraes exit was not part of Newcastle’s plans

Newcastle's Sporting Director, Ross Wilson, has confessed that the club had no intention of parting ways with captain Bruno Guimaraes this summer. This statement comes as the Brazilian midfielder appears to be on the verge of a £75 million transfer to Arsenal.

While Bruno Guimaraes has not been officially confirmed as an Arsenal player, an agreement between the two clubs is reportedly in place. His potential departure marks another significant exit from St James’ Park during a period of considerable flux for the Magpies. Newcastle has already seen Anthony Gordon move to Barcelona and Sandro Tonali join Tottenham this transfer window. The recent resignation of manager Eddie Howe has further contributed to the club's ongoing transition, with Matthias Jaissle being formally appointed as the new head coach on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters from Newcastle's pre-season training camp in Spain, Wilson was forthcoming about the circumstances surrounding Guimaraes' potential move.

"We had no desire to sell Bruno. It was not part of our plan to sell Bruno. Neither I, nor the ownership, wanted to sell Bruno," Wilson stated.

"He is our captain and was incredibly important to us. The discussion around his price – it's a world-record fee for a player of his age.

“We had to consider, with great respect for Bruno's conduct towards us, and emotionally, that he had effectively communicated his desire to leave and move on.

“This does not mean he has to go, but it certainly influences our thinking when a certain financial threshold is met. However, it is inaccurate to suggest this was part of our strategy or in our plans for this summer – it was not.

“But we must remain adaptable and respond to evolving situations. We might have planned to sign one player, but if we don't secure them, we move on to another target. We can only be transparent about that."