Guimaraes future decided before I arrived – Jaissle

Newcastle United's manager, Matthias Jaissle, has revealed that the decision regarding Bruno Guimaraes' future was already in place before his arrival at the club. The Brazilian midfielder is on the verge of completing a £75 million move to Arsenal after discussions reached a breakthrough. Jaissle briefly met with Guimaraes during the club's training camp in Spain, but the player ultimately bid farewell to his teammates and staff.

The 28-year-old Guimaraes praised the Portuguese manager, calling him a "fantastic player and a great human being." This move marks the fourth key player to depart from Newcastle in less than a year, following Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali, and Alexander Isak. Club legend Alan Shearer has wished Jaissle well, but previously cautioned about a potentially tough season with challenging times ahead.

Jaissle views the club's rebuild as an opportunity to start anew and mold a young, ambitious team following the departure of several legends. The manager has been focusing on coaching the current players, but Newcastle is also working on further additions ahead of the new season. This summer, the club has prioritized signing younger players from the Continent, with their most significant addition being 24-year-old Lukas Hornicek, who joined from Saudi Arabia and Austria.

Jaissle is excited about the challenge that awaits, having previously experienced success in those leagues. Newcastle will kick off their new campaign against Liverpool at St James' Park on August 23.