Howe admits uncertainty over Bruno Guimarães as Arsenal circle with £70m bid

Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe has offered no guarantees over the future of captain Bruno Guimarães, admitting he simply does not know what will happen as Arsenal prepare a £70m offer. Speaking after Saturday's 1-1 pre-season friendly draw with Gateshead, Howe revealed he has held positive conversations with the Brazil midfielder but stressed that final decisions on the 27-year-old's future rest above his pay grade. "I've had some really good conversations with him before the World Cup, during the World Cup and after the World Cup," Howe said. "What we speak about has to remain private, but he's just a great player, a great person. I don't know what's going to happen with Bruno's future. That's for other people to speculate about. They are conversations that I'm not part of." Guimarães, who has been on holiday with his family after Brazil's last-16 World Cup exit to Norway, is due back at Newcastle on Friday before flying out for a pre-season camp in Spain. Howe drew comparisons with Alexander Isak's departure last summer - the striker eventually forced a move - but insisted there is "nothing to say Bruno won't be back training with us." "Bruno is the captain of our football club. He's been an unbelievable player and person all through the time we have worked together," Howe added. "I speak on behalf of everyone at the football club. We absolutely love him and, of course, everyone will want him to stay." The uncertainty surrounding Guimarães comes at a time when Newcastle's midfield is already undergoing significant change. Sandro Tonali completed a move to Tottenham this month for up to £100m, and the club has pivoted its recruitment strategy toward younger prospects from the continent. Teenage midfielder Sean Steur arrived from Ajax for a fee that could reach £23m, while Aladji Bamba joined from Monaco. Steur played the full 90 minutes against Gateshead and drew praise from Howe for his debut. Willem Weijs, who coached Steur at Jong Ajax, described him as "one of the highest-rated" players in the club's academy and highlighted his technical quality and composure on the ball, though noted he must improve defensively and physically. Newcastle have also added Ewen Jaouen and Bazoumana Touré this summer, and Howe urged patience with the young arrivals. "We all need to be very supportive to the players that have come in," he said. "I don't think we can put too much pressure on them." Retaining Guimarães, however, remains vital for a side that has already lost Isak, Tonali and Anthony Gordon over the past year.