Newcastle United don dey work on the assumption say Sandro Tonali go leave this summer, but the realisation say captain Bruno Guimarães fit follow am don greet with dismay for Tyneside.
This supposed to be a transformative summer as the squad dey rebuilt for manager Eddie Howe, but there don be more noise about big-name departures than new signings.
Things start badly, as Liverpool swoop at the last minute to snatch winger Víctor Muñoz from their grasp, while Newcastle lose out to Brighton for the exciting teenager Zadok Yohanna.
The swings and misses for recruitment don come against a backdrop of speculation about their star players departing.
If Guimarães and Tonali leave the same summer wey Anthony Gordon sell to Barcelona – less than 12 months after Alexander Isak force a move to Liverpool – the whole project go dey called into question.
As one person connected to the club put am on Friday: “We may as well pack up and go home if we sell them both this summer.”
Telegraph Sport don speak to multiple sources at St James’ Park and get the latest on both players’ futures.
Newcastle be stunned by reports on Friday morning wey say dem turn down a bid of £60m from Arsenal and claim no truth for am.
Instead, e appear say details of an informal conversation about Guimarães’ future leak to the media.
Whoever responsible take several leaps forward to get something into the public domain. The motives for that remain opaque, but internally there be natural fear say the skipper at least open to leave Newcastle this summer, and his representatives dey act with his full knowledge.
Telegraph Sport don be told say Newcastle dey aware say top clubs don contact to gauge whether there be market for the Brazil international and also to see wetin sort of money those clubs go pay for the 28-year-old.
That be as far as things don progress. Senior sources dey adamant say dem never receive any verbal offers, even through an intermediary, from Arsenal. All dem don be told say Arsenal like the player and fit be interested to make a bid if Newcastle willing to sell.
Those talks immediately shut down. Newcastle no want to sell and no go entertain bids for their most important player. However, that no be likely to be the end of the saga and fit be the opening salvo in a concerted attempt to engineer a move.
Newcastle don point out say if Arsenal want to sign their captain dem for make that known to Ross Wilson, the sporting director, or David Hopkinson, the chief executive. But agents no dey operate for isolation and although Guimarães never tell anyone say he want to leave, history tell us say nothing dey guaranteed.
Nobody for Newcastle want to lose Guimarães and the stance be say he no be for sale at any price. But that be the same sort of language wey dem use to describe Isak’s situation last year. E be rigid position wey hold right up until the end of August when, with the forward on strike, and e don make am clear say e go ask to leave again for January, a British-record deal reluctantly agree on deadline day.
You suspect Guimarães for need to behave in a similar way to force his exit. Newcastle no dey go roll over and accept their fate. Whether he dey willing to tarnish his legacy with a fanbase wey don adore am since he arrive from Lyon for January 2022, remain to be seen.
E go be risky move and insiders insist say dem go be shocked if Guimarães resort to those measures, given his affection for the club and city. Dem also doubt say Arsenal dey willing to offer anything approaching his asking price.
Guimarães already be one of the highest-paid players for the Premier League and given his importance to Newcastle, dem go demand a fee wey exceed £100m. The Brazilian, though, only get two years left on his contract (although e be thought say Newcastle get option to extend a year) and go turn 29 this year. This presumably be his last opportunity to secure another big-money move to a club wey dey compete for silverware every season. E dey bound to feel conflicted.
Newcastle go dey willing to discuss a new contract, but no talks dey take place.
Although Tottenham Hotspur don do all the early running to sign the Italy international, Telegraph Sport fit reveal say Manchester City don also be for regular dialogue with Newcastle. City don dey track Tonali for more than a year and ask to be kept informed of developments regarding his sale.
The player dey aware of their interest and, although intrigued by the Spurs option, e know say e go get big decision to make if City make a bid. Having finalise the deal for England international Elliot Anderson this week, City fit step up their interest for Tonali, and sources at Newcastle expect that to happen.
Newcastle don already line up potential replacements. The fact say Newcastle stand by the 26-year-old during a 10-month ban for breaching gambling rules for his first season, after joining from AC Milan for 2023, never alter his view say this be a stepping-stone move.
For truth, the midfielder play like someone wey don lose some of his drive and determination last season and e seem for the best interests of both parties for am to be moved on.
To Newcastle’s surprise, Spurs make the first move to sign am, having a bid of about £75m rejected last week. There don be conversations between the two clubs since, but no second offer yet. Tonali dey willing to move to London and like the thought of playing for Roberto De Zerbi, but e fit easily switch to City if dem fit agree a fee.
From a football perspective, City go seem the far more attractive proposition given say dem dey play for the Champions League and go compete for the Premier League title next season. Newcastle dey seek around £100m for Tonali and make am clear to his representatives say dem no go sell unless their asking price be met.
