It will be more difficult to retain Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães this summer, and Newcastle will be aware of that.
Both players deserve to play on Europe’s biggest stage and only time will tell whether Newcastle can fulfill their ambitions beyond the summer.
Asked about reports of Manchester United’s interest in Guimarães, who had also been linked with Tonali leaving, Howe said: “I don’t even know how to answer that. It’s a waste of energy.”
“Bruno is our captain and he is working hard at the moment. He is injured at the moment. His only focus is to get back to fitness.”
They are the heart of Newcastle’s midfield and have been a big part of the club’s success in recent years. Of the two, Bruno feels more likely to stay for the long term. Because he’s a little older, he’s captain of the club and Newcastle United is under his skin.
We all saw the tears at Wembley last March. Leaving St James’ Park will be painful for the emotional Brazilian. He has almost become part of Newcastle’s furniture and will be a huge loss on and off the pitch.
There’s an emotional pull there for Bruno, and while he may have once considered Newcastle as a stepping stone when he arrived, I’m not sure he feels that way now. The 28-year-old’s departure will come as an even bigger surprise to supporters of the Newcastle persuasion.
For Tonali, comments from his agent earlier this week were interesting. Giuseppe Rizzo said that Newcastle are actually a stepping stone and are eligible to play in the Champions League every season.
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Eddie Howe denies rumors of Sandro Tonali leaving Newcastle.
If speculation is to be believed, clubs are lining up to sign the Italian and Newcastle could end up making a big move on him this summer.
He has proven that he is a suitable player and can thrive in English football. Newcastle, by their own admission, need to get better at selling players and finding the right time to do so with Tonali will be key.
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His value now feels like it has peaked at around £100m, but with four years effectively left on his contract, the Tyneside club hold the cards.
In my interview with Tonali in November, he suggested he wanted to wait until the summer to consider his situation, and while that may not be the most exciting story for Newcastle fans, at least he was honest.
What we don’t think we’ll get with Tonali is a similar situation to last summer when Alexander Isak went on strike to force a move to Liverpool. Tonali is indebted to the club for standing by him during the gambling ban two years ago, and there is mutual respect and good feeling between the club and the player.
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In what could be a summer of change at St James’ Park, I think it’s fair to say that neither player’s future is certain, but Tonali’s future is more certain than Bruno’s.
They are both very important to the team and it is difficult to differentiate them in terms of ability. But I think Bruno’s emotional connection and the fact that he’s captain of the club is probably just a nod to him here. Tonali is more valuable given his age and length of contract, but what can be said with confidence is that their overall position in the game is a testament to Newcastle’s reinforcements in recent years.
Last summer didn’t quite go to plan and some of his big-money signings didn’t shine, but Bruno, Tonali and others have been a part of Eddie Howe’s recruitment policy since he took over as Tyneside manager four-and-a-half years ago.
Financially, Newcastle do not need to sell either player. They raised £125m for Isak last summer, but other players could also leave. For example, Tino Livramento has only two years left, but he has not yet started new negotiations.
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However, the club will be desperate to avoid a repeat of the incident that negatively affected this season.
They will therefore be more attentive to the emotions and mood of their players, especially if they fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Howe often says that “footballers’ careers are short” and if a player expresses an interest in considering a move away from the club, he and sporting director Ross Wilson will take that into consideration. It is still possible that both players will remain at the club beyond the summer, but it is not certain.
