Bruno Guimaraes confirms Pep Guardiola talks as Manchester City extend Kevin De Bruyne replacement search | OneFootball

Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes has confirmed he has held conversations with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola after an impressive season for the Brazilian midfielder at St. James’ Park.

Guimaraes has established himself as one of the most exciting midfielders in England since joining hands with Eddie Howe at Tyneside in what have been a breakthrough few seasons for the Magpies as they again seek a strong finish to the Premier League campaign and push to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League.

The 27-year-old has often attracted interest from the best clubs in England and after another impressive year in the north-east, many have tagged Guimaraes as an ideal candidate to bolster Manchester City’s midfield in the summer transfer window.

City have a busy few months ahead as they undergo a major squad revamp to challenge for the Premier League and Champions League next term whilst trying to replace Kevin De Bruyne, who will be leaving the 2023 treble winners at the end of the season.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz is understood to be heading Manchester City’s preferred list of signings for the upcoming transfer window, with the 21-year-old German believed to be impressed by Guardiola’s personal overtures in luring him to the Etihad Stadium.

City will also step up their pursuit of Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White in the coming weeks as a deal remains to be struck with the Blues’ FA Cup semi-final opponents, who have set a staggering £100 million price tag on the England international.

Speaking to Four Four Two, Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes has revealed he has spoken with Guardiola as the 54-year-old hunts for potent additions to his ageing midfield ahead of the summer transfer window to challenge on all fronts next term.

“I’ve spoken with him (Guardiola), but nothing about a potential move (to Manchester City). He has said some nice things about my game, and I am very humbled by that because he is the best coach I’ve ever seen – I admire how he has impacted football,” said Guimaraes.

As the season comes to a close and Guimaraes enters the final three years of his current deal at St. James’ Park, it remains unlikely that Manchester City or any other Premier League club can tempt the midfielder away from Tyneside.

“I’m very much at home and living a dream. For me to leave, it must be something great for the club, not for me. I don’t worry about it – I trust the club and my agents. I’m so happy here and I want to stay,” Guimaraes added.

City are planning to make four to five impactful first-team signings come the end of the season and that can be either side of their FIFA Club World Cup campaign in the United States, with the Premier League allowing Manchester City to make and register new signings for a 10-day period between June 1-10 before they fly off to the United States.