Bruno Guimarães was not on Newcastle’s flight to Murcia on Friday lunchtime as Eddie Howe’s former players prepared to meet their new head coach in southern Spain.
- Bruno Guimarães believed in Brazil, booked to fly to Spain but may join Arsenal if a bid around £75m arrives.
- Matthias Jaissle finalising a four-year contract at St James' Park after £8m compensation, assembling his backroom staff ahead of the season.
- Lukas Hornicek deal for goalkeeper expected at about £26m; Nick Pope likely to depart amid significant summer squad changes.
As Guimarães, who is believed to be in Brazil, appeared to inch closer towards a transfer to Arsenal, Matthias Jaissle was completing his managerial move from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli. Howe’s successor is expected to arrive at the club’s pre-season training camp in the La Manga complex at some point this weekend.
By the time, shortly after midday, that the team’s charter plane took off for the Mediterranean, Newcastle had still to provide formal confirmation of Howe’s departure. It is understood they have been negotiating a financial settlement with their former manager in addition to payoffs for four key members of his backroom staff including the outgoing No 2, Jason Tindall.
Although Howe had told Newcastle of his intention to leave earlier this month, leaks surrounding Jaissle’s imminent appointment appeared to catch all parties by surprise. The players learned of Howe’s departure during a day off on Thursday but had the situation fully explained to them by Ross Wilson, the club’s sporting director, at the training ground before heading to Spain.
At the same time, Newcastle’s incoming German head coach was understood to be finalising a four-year contract at St James’ Park after an £8m compensation package was agreed with Al-Ahli. Jaissle is already in Europe after remaining in Portugal rather than returning to Jeddah with his squad following the conclusion of a pre-season training camp on the Algarve on Wednesday.
The 38-year-old former RB Salzburg manager is assembling his own backroom staff and now has only three weeks before his first Premier League season begins with a home game against Liverpool.
One of his first tasks will be to hold talks with Guimarães, regarding the Brazil midfielder’s future. Guimarães – who was very close to Howe – is booked on a flight to Spain on Sunday but there are suggestions he could opt to board a London-bound plane instead, should Arsenal offer Newcastle a sum in the region of £75m.
Although Manchester United are exploring the possibility of attempting to sign Lewis Hall, Jaissle has reason to be more confident of keeping the influential left-back. Newcastle are said to be determined to retain one of their best young players but could be more receptive to any bid from Saudi Arabia for Joelinton. Guimarães’s compatriot is believed to be keen on a move to the Middle East.
While Besiktas also covet another Newcastle midfielder in Joe Willock, Wilson appears close to securing a new goalkeeper. A £26m deal for the Braga and Czechia goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek is expected to be completed over the weekend.
Should that move for the 24-year-old progress as planned, Nick Pope, Newcastle’s current first-choice, will almost certainly prove to be yet another departure during a turbulent summer featuring a major changing of the guard on Tyneside.
