Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has warned Real Madrid that the club will not accept any approach for midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.
The Champions League holders are set to lose Casemiro to Manchester United and have reportedly sounded out the Newcastle star as a replacement.
Guimaraes has been a revelation since arriving at Tyneside from Lyon in January and has been a key figure in helping the Magpies sail well away from the relegation zone and finish the 2021/22 Premier League campaign 11th. .
Howe has dismissed the links as speculation and is adamant the club will not lose any of their best players.
“Absolutely not,” Howe replied when asked if there was a chance his star midfielder would leave the club this summer.
“We are trying to build a team here that we believe can lead the club to success over the next few years and we want to build this team and improve the group, without removing our best players,” Howe told reporters.
But the Newcastle boss knows that with a revival of form and the spotlight firmly on the club, his star performers will be the subject of speculation.
“This shows [how well Guimaraes has performed],” he added. “As far as speculation goes, I have no problem with that as such.
“I think it’s a compliment to Bruno and how well he’s done for us.
“He’s been amazing, I think, and he’s only going to get better from now on. He’s a very valuable member of our team.
Although he doesn’t seem alarmed by the reported interest from Real Madrid, Howe hinted that the club’s ability to retain their best players will depend on the club’s success over the next few seasons.
Howe added: “It will partly depend on how we perform and how far the team will go in terms of satisfying players who are doing very well for us over a long period.”
“Bruno has just started his journey with us and we desperately want him to grow with the team. We want to make the team stronger and show him his quality even more.
“That’s our target and he’s done so well in a short time, the fans love him, we love him and I think he’s in a good place.
Howe continued: “Every footballer has different goals and ambitions and I’m sure Bruno has huge ambitions for the future of his career and others embrace him because he needs it because he has the ability to do special things.
“We have to try to give him an opportunity and a platform to achieve those goals and those dreams here, that’s going to be important for us.”
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