Guimaraes future decided before I arrived, says Jaissle

Matthias Jaissle said on 6 August 2026 that a decision on Bruno Guimaraes' future had been taken before he briefly met the Newcastle United captain at the club's training camp in Spain earlier this week. Arsenal are set to complete a protracted £75m move for the 28-year-old, who has won 48 caps for Brazil.

Jaissle spoke to Guimaraes briefly at the training camp, and the midfielder subsequently bid an emotional farewell to team-mates and club staff. The comments came in Jaissle's first meeting with reporters following his appointment as head coach.

Jaissle said: "I met him quickly, but the decision was already made." He added: "It was a nice conversation. He's a fantastic player and a great human being. It's tough but for him now it's the next challenge and we need to deal with it at a later stage." Jaissle finished the point by saying: "We trust the players who are here already, but we will also see some changes."

Guimaraes is set to become the fourth key player to leave Newcastle in less than a year after Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali moved to Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur respectively earlier in the window, while Alexander Isak joined Liverpool last summer. Club legend Alan Shearer has sent Jaissle his "very best wishes", but in a column for BBC Sport warned it could be a "tough season" with some "very challenging times ahead".

Jaissle, who succeeded predecessor Eddie Howe, described the current period as one of transition and opportunity. He said: "This is a challenge and there are so many transitions at the moment," adding: "Many big players left - legends of the club - but we need to see it as a chance." He also said: "Not having too many excuses now, just thinking forward about what we can influence. "Control the controllables, I used to say, and I'm sure there will be progress this season."

Newcastle have been working on additions while Jaissle focuses on coaching the players currently available, and the club have shifted transfer policy towards younger targets on the Continent. Lukas Hornicek is the club's oldest arrival so far at 24, and Newcastle have spent around £146m to date on goalkeepers Hornicek and Ewen Jaouen, midfielders Aladji Bamba and Sean Steur and winger Bazoumana Toure. The quintet, like Jaissle, have never experienced life in the Premier League before.

The 38-year-old Jaissle arrives after "trophy-laden spells in Saudi Arabia and Austria with Al-Ahli and RB Salzburg," and said he welcomed the new challenge. He told reporters: "This is something I don't have on my CV, but that's normal in football," and added: "At one point it has to be your first step and I'm now at that moment after being successful in Saudi Arabia and Austria. "Everyone was dreaming about being a part of the Premier League and now here we are."

Newcastle begin the new campaign against Liverpool at St James' Park on 23 August.