Man Utd’s Bruno Guimaraes ‘Meeting’ Reveals New Asking Price

Newcastle’s Guimarães is not the only midfielder heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford in the summer.

Bruno Guimarães is thought to be a target for Man Utd. | Serena Taylor/Newcastle United/Shaun Brooks-CameraSport/Getty Images

Some members of Manchester United’s recruitment team have reportedly held talks with the representatives of Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimarães, establishing his lofty admiration from Old Trafford and a surprisingly modest $80.9 million (£60.7 million, €70 million) asking price.

Guimarães has been billed as a potential successor to Casemiro at Manchester United, with some reports going so far as to claim that the Red Devils’ departing Brazilian midfielder has personally recommended his compatriot.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has been quick to dismiss these “disrespectful” links, yet whispers of an ongoing dialogue between Guimarães and United continue to grow louder.

Contact between the Premier League giants and Guimarães has been made to establish that the 28-year-old is United’s “main target” for the upcoming summer, per Brazilian outlet UOL Esporte. The same report lists Guimarães’s price at $80.9 million, which is lower than past figures bandied around for one of the world’s best midfielders who still has a contract until 2028.

Any costs United can spare this summer will be immensely useful during a window which may see the club sign two standout midfielders. Casemiro needs to be replaced, perhaps by Guimarães, while the club are also expected to go in search of a player who inspires more confidence than the scarcely spotted Manuel Ugarte. Whether Guimarães is one of those new recruits still very much remains to be seen.

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‘Long Way to Go’—Man Utd’s Guimaraes Warning

Bruno Guimarães has suffered another injury setback. | Visionhaus/Getty Images

In the process of confirming reports of this alleged meeting, Fabrizio Romano was at pains to point out that there is still a “long way to go” before Guimarães is pulling on a red shirt.

“Newcastle will not make life easy,” Romano warned, underscoring a sentiment spelled out by Howe, who did little to hide his fury at this line of questioning.

“For me it’s a nonsense story,” the Newcastle boss seethed earlier this month. “Bruno’s our captain, he’s fully committed. He’s injured at the moment, his only focus is coming back to fitness.

“For me, it is not the time to think about it. In the summer, you can understand those stories a little bit more because the transfer window is open. To say our captain is in discussions with another club is totally disrespectful to Bruno more than anything else. He is totally committed here.”

It’s entirely possible that Guimarães’s representatives are sounding out alternative avenues of interest for their client while he remains entirely focus on the job at hand. Given he turns 29 next season, this may be the last big transfer of the wonderfully talented midfielder’s career. Newcastle’s current cycle—yo-yoing between Champions League qualification before suffering domestically while failing to compete on multiple fronts—isn’t at its most appealing ebb.

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Man Utd’s Alternative Midfield Options

Leon Goretzka (right) will be a free agent next summer. | F. Noever/FC Bayern/Getty Images

Should United be swayed away from Guimarães, they could look towards his Newcastle teammate Sandro Tonali. The Italian’s agent has been less discreet about the ambitions of his ambitious client, however, he would certainly cost more than the $80.9 million floated for the Magpies skipper.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson is another talented, deep-lying operator routinely linked with a switch to Old Trafford. Manchester City appear to be leading that particular race, with Pep Guardiola’s Carabao Cup champions billed as “clear frontrunners” by BBC Sport.

The same report claims that United have set aside a budget of $106.7 million (£80 million) for a new marquee midfielder to partner Kobbie Mainoo, who is himself thought to be on the cusp of agreeing new terms at Old Trafford.

This ballpark figure will likely mean Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba is out of contention while any plans for Adam Wharton could be delayed by a new contract offer from Crystal Palace which would contain a release clause to be activated after the summer window.

However, United need a new midfielder for the 2026–27 campaign, if not two more. One more afforable alternative (in a way) would be Bayern Munich’s Leon Goretzka. The serial champion is set to run down his contract in Bavaria in June and would only require a signing-on fee rather than any transfer sum exchanged between clubs. Combative, canny and still very much operating at the top of the game, the Germany international could find himself in the Premier League next season.

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