Manchester City are weighing up a summer bid for Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, according to FootballTransfers.com reporter Jacque Talbot.
The journalist claims that the Premier League champions have a “huge interest” in the Brazilian international, with manager Pep Guardiola a “big fan” of the player.
Guimaraes only signed a new contract back in October but it reportedly included a release clause that would allow any club to sign him for £100m.
Newcastle would prefer the 26-year-old to move abroad, and Talbot suggests that the Magpies would allow him to leave for a lower fee if clubs in Spain and France make an approach.
However, if the Cityzens do enter the running, they will be expected to pay the full amount for Guimaraes, which would mean equalling their club record transfer.
Other Premier League teams have been linked with Guimaraes
Last summer, the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool were both mentioned as potential suitors for the midfielder, but Talbot reports a move to those two teams is “unlikely” at the moment.
City’s main rivals are expected to be Paris Saint-Germain, who have kept tabs on Guimaraes for quite some time.
Where would the Brazilian fit into City’s starting lineup?
Kalvin Phillips is set to leave the Etihad on a permanent basis at the end of the season when his loan spell at West Ham comes to an end.
That may suggest that Guimaraes would be brought in as Phillips’ replacement. Considering the England international was only a bit-part player, it does leave question marks over where the Brazilian would fit into the starting eleven.
Guimaraes could be seen as an alternative to Rodri but you don’t spend £100m on a rotation player. It may be the case that the Newcastle star is asked to play slightly further forward if he joins City.
