Former Tottenham Hotspur, Marseille and Newcastle United winger Chris Waddle believes Bruno Guimaraes could leave Newcastle this summer, but doubts Arsenal will make a move for the Brazil international.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with 10bet, Waddle said the 2026 FIFA World Cup could have increased interest in Guimaraes, although he does not expect many clubs to meet Newcastle’s asking price.
World Cup could spark transfer interest
Waddle believes Guimaraes has the qualities to attract top clubs, but feels Newcastle’s valuation and the midfielder’s age could make a transfer difficult.
“For a lot of players, a World Cup is a shop window. Years ago, they used to say if you have a good World Cup, you’ll get a lot of clubs after you.
“I think he’s done okay, though I wasn’t that impressed with Brazil, to be honest. He has a great engine, he’s tidy, and he keeps the ball well. I can see why he fits into a lot of teams.”
He also suggested the midfielder’s future may already have been discussed behind the scenes.
“Going into that tournament, him and his agent will have known if he wants to leave Newcastle, and clubs will have been in touch with his agent after watching him.
“I believe he has about two years left on his Newcastle contract, so he might be looking for a four-year contract somewhere else – probably the last biggest pay day of what is left in his career.”
Waddle added that Newcastle remain in a strong negotiating position.
“Unless Newcastle upgrade his contract, you could see him leaving. I’m sure clubs are interested, but because he has two years left, Newcastle can demand a hefty price. That might stop a lot of clubs because they’ll question if he’s worth that much money.
“If Newcastle are looking for £50m or £60m, there are not going to be many clubs that will pay that for a player his age.”
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Waddle unconvinced by Arsenal links
Arsenal have been linked with Guimaraes in recent weeks, but Waddle admitted he is struggling to understand why the Premier League champions would pursue the Newcastle captain.
“I don’t get Arsenal. They’ve got a big squad as it is, and I just don’t understand why they keep getting linked with these players. Mind you, it could just be his agent pushing stories.”
He also questioned whether signing the Brazilian would make financial sense.
“I’m surprised Arsenal are linked with him. He’s nearly 30 and he’s going to want at least a four-year contract, so I don’t see where that story has come from.
“There will be clubs interested if the price is right, but because he’ll want a long contract, not many clubs will do that without getting any financial return on the investment down the line.
“You don’t want to pay £50m, £60m, or £70m for someone you’re not going to get anything back on. It will be interesting to see what happens.”
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