A must read : Controversial Bruno Guimaraes words 42 months ago when deciding on Newcastle United | OneFootball

It is now 42 months ago since Bruno Guimaraes signed for Newcastle United.

Quite incredible, such has been his impact since then.

Kieran Trippier arriving as the new Newcastle United owners’ and Eddie Howe’s first signing, had given NUFC fans such a shot of confidence. However, he had a strong connection to Eddie Howe (Trippier bought by him when at Burnley) and growing up in Bury during  the Keegan and Sir Bobby NUFC eras, would have understood just what a monster of a club Newcastle United could potentially be.

For Bruno Guimaraes, a very different proposition though.

To have a current 24 year old Brazil international midfielder willing to commit to a club that were at the time bottom of the Premier League with less than half a season to go, well, that was some sales job that the people at Newcastle United did.

Bruno Guimaraes was ridiculed for his decision to join a football club in such a seemingly desperate position.

As for when he spoke these words about the decision to come to St James’ Park.

Well, the reaction – laughter and ridicule, from the usual suspects (journalists, presenters, pundits, bitter rival fans), was just off the scale.

Very important to read again now what Bruno Guimaraes said when he signed for Newcastle United…

Bruno Guimaraes speaking for the first time after signing for Newcastle United at the end of the January 2022 transfer window:

“We are going to be a club with big power in world football.

“The owners were very up front [when we had talks], that this [2021/22] season the idea is to stay in the Premier League.

“However, in the future, the main objective in the seasons to come, is to be in the Champions League and eventually to win the Champions League.

“I’m very happy and I’d like to thank the fans for their affection and all the messages they sent me.

“I hope we can have a great second half of the season.

“I’m really excited, it has always been my dream to play in the Premier League.

“This is a club with a fascinating project, great tradition and passionate fans.

“I’m 100% focused on doing my best and my objective [this season] is to remain in the Premier League, we know it is difficult, but we have a really good team and we have made some good signings this season.

“I’m aiming to go to the World Cup [in Qatar in November / December] and fans can be rest assured that I will give my all on the pitch.

“It is very very beautiful this stadium [St James Park] and I am very happy to be here.”

Who is laughing now?

Bruno Guimaraes after arriving, helped Eddie Howe and Newcastle United have the third best form of all Premier League clubs across the second half of the 2021/22 season.

His first full season at NUFC saw United reach the League Cup final and finish fourth top in 2022/23.

In 2023/24, Bruno Guimaraes and Newcastle played in the Champions League and finished seventh in the table despite Tonali’s suspension and the worst season for injuries in the club’s entire history, finishing only six points off fifth and eight points off top four.

Having been made captain, Bruno Guimaraes led Newcastle United to Wembley again where this time they won the League Cup, a first major trophy in 56 years for NUFC, plus a top five finish in 2024/25 to make it two Champions League qualifications in his three full seasons.

Bruno Guimaraes had only started one senior Brazil international but has become a regular for the national side due to his form at Newcastle United.

Bruno played at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and won his 34th Brazil cap last night, man of the match as they beat Paraguay 1-0 and qualified for the 2026 World Cup finals.

The reality was that Newcastle United were in massive trouble when Bruno Guimaraes signed back in January 2021, the damage done by Mike Ashley and Steve Bruce was immense. Especially when the then new owners and Eddie Howe had to come in mid-season and tackle the most pressing crisis, which was surviving the 2021/22 season and ensuring Newcastle United would remain a Premier League club.

Bruno Guimaraes was under no illusions either, the new signing knowing full well that Newcastle United staying in the Premier League was no foregone conclusion. I don’t have any doubts, having observed his behaviour / character on and off the pitch these past 42 months, that even if the very worst had happened and Newcastle had gone down, Bruno would have definitely stayed and helped in the rebuilding.

The Brazil international midfielder declared, ‘we know it is difficult, but we have a really good team and we have made some good signings this season.’ Well he was definitely proved right on that count, Eddie Howe having proved especially with the players that he’d inherited, that many of them were capable of far better than they’d been allowed to show under the shambolic Steve Bruce.

Bruno Guimaraes insisted that when he did get the chance to play that, ‘fans can be rest assured that I will give my all on the pitch.’ Bruno absolutely correct on this one as well, he has been truly inspirational and is the heartbeat of the team.

Whilst all the initial focus was on staying up in that very first (half) season, the 24 year old insisted that Newcastle United could be a big power in world football and said that the NUFC owners had assured him that, ‘the main objective in the seasons to come, is to be in the Champions League and eventually to win the Champions League.’

Well…this bit was the one that had our many enemies (journalists, pundits, rival fans) laughing uncontrollably, at the bottom of the Premier League and managed by ‘The fella that got Bournemouth relegated’ and whilst Newcastle fans could see a very significant improvement in performances since Eddie Howe’s arrival, the actual results hadn’t reflected that.

The Newcastle United owners and Eddie Howe had sold Bruno Guimaraes a vision of what could be possible in seasons to come and he very much bought into it.

A big call for a 24 year who was dreaming of going to the Qatar World Cup finals ten months later.

Well, 42 months later and it is all smiles on Tyneside. A real team effort and within that, some exceptional individual stand out contributions as well, none more so than Bruno Guimaraes.

Eddie Howe playing an absolute blinder in managing Bruno’s integration into both Newcastle United and the Premier League.

The rewards have been immense in return.

Bruno Guimaraes was ridiculed when making those aspirational comments when joining Newcastle United 42 months ago.

However, our enemies aren’t laughing now, instead it is fear that stalks them, sobbing along with certain ‘elite’ clubs and their fans, saying now how unfair it is that Newcastle United are threatening to be competitive, instead of knowing their place and remaining in the decade and a half coma that Mike Ashley had slipped the club into.

Nothing is certain of course in terms of what happens in terms of results on the pitch but…what is absolutely certain is that those who own and work for Newcastle United are totally committed to trying to make our football club become the best it can be, on and off the pitch.

Bring it on.

Bruno Guimaraes called it absolutely right in January 2021 before he had even pulled on a black and white shirt, relegation could and should be avoided, then work towards playing in the Champions League.

The 2025/26 season will see a now 27 year old Bruno Guimaraes lead Newcastle United on another Champions League campaign, whilst at the same time aiming to win more domestic silverware and improve further on last season’s fifth place finish in the Premier League. Then at the end of next season, Bruno Guimaraes will be off to another World Cup finals with Brazil.

To top it all off, Bruno Guimaraes and his wife have been blessed with the birth of two Geordie sons during his time so far on Tyneside.

They and their wider family absolutely love it here and long may it continue.