Today’s edition of Manchester City transfer talk covers the latest on the Pep Guardiola contract situation speculation. We also touch upon the narrative of potential Kevin de Bruyne replacements, with Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes supposedly leading the way.
We start there, focusing on the Geordies’ playmaking Brazilian, who currently resides in the middle of St. James Park.
? Newcastle are becoming increasingly worried about losing Bruno Guimarães this summer, with Man City lurking and considering paying his release clause.
(Source: @GraemeBailey) pic.twitter.com/eoXgaUqKkK
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) June 5, 2024
That’s sourced by transfer expert Graeme Bailey, who works for the likes of Sirius XM, Here is The City and TBR Football. Guimaraes would slot in easily, should De Bruyne leave for Saudi Arabia, as he indicated he might, just yesterday.
De Bruyne admitted the huge pay day, in the Saudi Pro League, could be worth leaving MCFC someday, so we’ll see when that might happen.
Shifting gears to Pep, there were widespread reports, last month, that this season will be his last at the club. His contract expires at the end of this season. For the first time since these reports surfaced, Club Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak spoke out about Guardiola’s future.
The Chairman had a very friendly outlet, the club’s own web channel.
“We have had this conversation many times before, you know that, over the years of the contract,” he said to the in-house site.
“Pep has always been fully committed to this club, fully committed to every contract that he has signed with us. This decision on his future is always a decision that we will take together, and I have no doubt that we will find, as always, we have done, the right solution that works for Pep and works for us.”
He also discussed how much Pep has meant to the team.
“You can look at just records,” Al Mubarak continued, “for history’s sake and there I think he’s racked up every record, almost, in the book. And these are records that I think will be very, very hard in the future to ever break.
“From winning six out of the last seven Premier Leagues, to winning four in a row, to the number of wins, the records go on and on and on.
“I think what his impact has been on football. English football has changed with the evolution to the type of football that Pep has brought into the league.
“The way the players, the coaches, every member of Manchester City, from board members to management, the way we behaved, she said was a great reflection of how this team is in terms of respect, humbleness and just the attitude. I think this is something that I am very, very proud of.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.