Liverpool join Manchester City in race to sign 26-year-old PL superstar, will have to fork out £100m: Reports
Liverpool are reportedly set to rival Manchester City for in-demand Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes. The Brazilian midfielder was in superb form last season and his future at St James' Park is uncertain.
The Sunday Mirror reports that the Reds have entered the race to sign Guimaraes this summer. He has four years left on his contract but the Magpies may be looking to cash in to help aid their Financial Fairplay situation.
Guimaraes has an £100 million release clause in his contract which expires in a month, per Liverpool Echo. Newcastle might demand more for the 20-cap Brazil international once that clause ends.
The former Lyon midfielder has been vital for Eddie Howe since arriving in January 2022. He appeared 50 times across competitions last season, posting seven goals and 10 assists.
Liverpool face competition from City and Arsenal for the Selecao star. Last season's three title rivals are all gunning for one of the Premier League's brightest playmaking talents.
The Merseysiders are set for an overhaul this summer as the post-Jurgen Klopp era begins. Arne Slot will take the reigns at Anfield and he's expected to be backed with a rebuild under chiefs Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes.
"A massive player" - Ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is a fan of Bruno Guimaraes
Liverpool knows all about the talent Guimaraes possesses as he's faced them three times since joining Newcastle. He's yet to beat the Merseysiders but has caught the eye with his ball-playing abilities.
Klopp waxed lyrical about Guimaraes a year ago and named him as one of two players who are 'massive' for Newcastle. The German said (via Caught Offside):
"Bruno Guimaraes is a massive player for them and all these kind of things.”
Guimaraes was key for the Magpies as they qualified for the UEFA Champions League with a fourth-placed finish in the 2022-23 season. He registered four goals and five assists in 32 league games for Howe's side.
Liverpool were interested in Guimaraes years ago while the player was still in Ligue 1 with Lyon. They focused their attention on signing Aurelien Tchouameni who opted to join Real Madrid, giving Newcastle a free run at the Brazilian in January 2022.
The Reds underwent a midfield overhaul last summer with Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch. Jude Bellingham was seemingly their top target but he headed to Madrid.