Newcastle bought player with £100m release clause in record January transfer | Football | Sport

Not every Premier League club is keen to splash the cash during the January transfer window, but Newcastle United felt it was more necessary than most in 2022. It marked their first chance to enter the transfer market following their autumn takeover, with a relegation scrap to navigate. Their lowly league position made matters more complicated, naturally. New boss Eddie Howe had secured the season’s first league victory, but the side remained in the bottom three when the window opened.

Newcastle needed to recruit players prepared to buy into a long-term vision, whilst acknowledging they were joining a club facing an immediate battle for survival. Dan Burn may not have required much persuasion to return to the north east, whilst Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood were seasoned professionals ready for fresh challenges, but the masterstroke came with the signing of Bruno Guimaraes.

The Brazilian had spent just two years at Lyon but had already caught the eye across Europe. Newcastle weren’t the only Premier League side linked with a move, but they emerged victorious in the pursuit, with Guimaraes’ compatriot and fellow midfielder Lucas Paqueta also making the switch to the Premier League just a few months afterwards.

Guimaraes, who set Newcastle back up to £40million, represented their record January acquisition at the time and has more than justified his price tag in subsequent years. The 28-year-old now leads the team and penned a contract extension in 2023 featuring a clause that underlines his current market value.

In April 2024, boss Howe confirmed that only a £100m release clause means an offer of that amount would allow a rival club to enter discussions with their captain. Nevertheless, that arrangement expired during the summer of the same year.

“I’m aware of his contractual status, but it’s not something I focus on,” Howe stated at the time. “Having that was well planned and structured by the club, in a sense that there is a finish point.

“We don’t want the constant speculation, I don’t think that’s healthy for the player or for us. When it’s something you don’t necessarily have control over, I don’t tend to worry about (the speculation linking him with moves). It goes without saying what my thoughts on the Bruno situation are.

“We want to keep him, we want to build our team around him and he’s an integral part of what we are doing. His form has been very good. He seems very happy and settled. He will be thinking about a busy summer ahead and where we can hopefully take the team. He is a big part of that. We are not in control of that, so we shall see.”

Howe secured his objective as Newcastle’s captain remained at the club, contributing to their return to the Champions League with a fifth-place finish last season. Should there be any late additions on deadline day this year, it would require something extraordinary for them to make a similar impact.