Fabrizio Romano confirms Newcastle contract news to give Magpies fans major boost after ‘Big Six’ scare

Fabrizio Romano states Newcastle United are preparing to begin contract talks with star man Bruno Guimaraes, in a move which should ward off his potential suitors from the Premier League.

Newcastle signed Guimaraes from Lyon in January and he has emerged into one of their most important players since. The Brazilian is becoming a dominant force in midfield alongside the likes of Joelinton and Joe Willock.

Guimaraes has featured in every Premier League match he has been available for this season, either side of a hamstring injury. He was in from the start against Brentford on Saturday and registered two goals to help Eddie Howe’s side ease to a 5-1 victory at St James’ Park.

Newcastle fans love the 24-year-old. They believe he will play a vital role in helping the club to reach European qualification over the next few years. And this is something Guimaraes revealed he is keen to do when joining Newcastle earlier this year.

However, Guimaraes’ top performances in a Newcastle shirt have drawn attention from one of the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’. According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, Manchester City are the only English side who could pose a threat to the Magpies and capture Guimaraes in a big-money deal.

Craig Hope of the Daily Mail believes City are the only side who represent a real ‘step up’ from Newcastle right now. And to make the star’s future even more uncertain, Guimaraes is a ready-made Pep Guardiola player, too.

Despite this recent link, it seems Newcastle are determined to keep hold of the eight-cap Brazil international for the long run.

Magpies sporting director Dan Ashworth has reacted to Guimaraes’ potential exit and shown Newcastle’s firm stance on the matter.

Dan Ashworth discusses Bruno Guimaraes future

“Absolutely do I not want to sell Bruno! He is a top player and a really important part of this journey,” Ashworth confirmed.

“Ultimately, at what level would you sell him? If someone comes in and offers £500m, would you take it?”

It seems Newcastle are taking steps to prevent Guimaraes from leaving Tyneside any time soon. When discussing City potentially moving for Guimaraes, Hope claimed Newcastle officials wanted to offer him a new contract next summer.

However, it appears these plans have been brought forward. As per Romano, they will send him a contract proposal ‘very soon’.

Romano claims many top clubs are ‘monitoring’ the midfield enforcer. Newcastle are aware of this and will give Guimaraes a hefty pay rise to try and keep him.

The journalist doesn’t reveal how long the new contract would last or how much it could be worth. His current terms run for another four years. Maybe Newcastle will extend them by a year to tie him down until summer 2027.

The player reportedly earns £120,000 a week. However, Newcastle are incredibly wealthy and will be able to take his wage closer to £200k per week if they wish.

Newcastle fans will be delighted about the club plotting contract talks with Guimaraes. They will not want to see him leave for a Prem rival like City. And a new deal is the perfect way to prevent this.

Meanwhile, Friday’s Transfer Gossip claims Newcastle want to sign another teenager following the arrival of Garang Kuol.