While Newcastle have struggled recently, losing all but two of their last 10 matches, one man continues to shine like a beacon and that player is Bruno Guimarães.
The Brazilian midfielder was one of the best performers in the Magpies' nail-biting 3-2 loss at home to Manchester City over the weekend, racking up a stunning assist for Alexander Isak's goal while putting in a tremendous defensive shift.
But will the former Lyon ace be departing St. James' Park in the near future? According to reports, the 26-year-old is on the radar for one of England's — and Europe's — biggest clubs. That team is none other than Liverpool.
The Reds underwent a midfield overhaul in the summer, bidding farewell to Fabinho and Jordan Henderson and recruiting Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Ryan Gravenberch as replacements. While Wataru Endo was also recruited for the no.6 role after missing out on both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, the perception was that Klopp's next midfield target would be another defensive player.
However, according to the Mirror, Bruno, whom they inquired about in May, could join the Merseyside giants due to a unique stipulation in his recent contract.
The Brazilian did not wish to leave St. James' Park over the summer and opted to stay before signing a new five-year deal in October. That contract contains a £98M release clause and while that figure might have been extensive for Liverpool under normal circumstances, there appears to be a workaround.
A report by AS claims that a club can trigger that release clause but pay that amount in three separate installments worth roughly £32M. While release clauses permit suitors to bypass a player's employer altogether, they often require the buying team to pay the stipulated amount in one go, which is tricky. However, this might not be the case for the Newcastle man.
Furthermore, the Magpies recently admitted to facing financial issues and could be forced to sell a few of their prized assets to strengthen their team. The Brazilian could thus be sacrificed for the greater good due to his tremendous value.
However, Liverpool are not the only club with interest in the former Lyon man. PSG and Barcelona are also said to be eyeing the player. Furthermore, the preference of the player remains up in the air. The South American has fallen in love with Eddie Howe's side but if the Saudi-owned club miss out on a top-four finish and UEFA Champions League football, his loyalty will be tested.
