- Newcastle have named midfielder Bruno Guimaraes as their new ‘team captain’
- Guimaraes has been linked with a move to Man City but is expected to stay
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Bruno Guimaraes is the new captain of Newcastle United and is almost certain to stay at the club, Mail Sport can reveal.
The Brazilian wore the captain’s armband for the first time on Saturday in a league match against Southampton, with captain Jamaal Lascelles injured and vice-captain Kieran Trippier on the bench.
Trippier has led the team in most of its matches since joining from Atlético Madrid in January 2022, but that will now fall to Guimaraes.
Eddie Howe is confident the midfielder will flourish with the added responsibility and would like clarity over who will captain the team on a permanent basis now that Guimaraes has been promoted to the role.
Lascelles has been promoted to the newly created position of ‘club captain’, while Trippier remains as vice-captain and part of the leadership group, alongside Dan Burn, Callum Wilson and Jacob Murphy.
Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has been promoted to captain of Newcastle United
Eddie Howe believes Guimaraes will flourish with the extra responsibility he has been given
Guimaraes takes step forward amid uncertainty over defender Kieran Trippier’s future
Trippier’s future on Tyneside remains uncertain – there has been interest from home and abroad – but Howe wants him to stay. The coaching staff are confident the England star will be a leader, with or without the armband.
Guimaraes is meanwhile being admired at Manchester City, but sources are confident he will continue to play at St James’ Park after next Friday’s transfer deadline.
The 26-year-old spoke of his pride in being captained during the 1-0 win over the Saints, saying the armband is a sign of his dedication to the club.
Lascelles remains sidelined with a long-term knee injury and is ‘months’ away from playing again, while Trippier is looking to improve his fitness by playing 45 minutes for Newcastle Under-21s against Sunderland on Monday night.
Club captain Jamaal Lascelles still ‘months’ away from return after knee injury