Newcastle broke record with January transfer for star given £100m release clause
Newcastle haven’t always got it right in the January transfer window – but one man that arrived mid-season went on to secure a £100million release clause in his contract
Not every Premier League club is keen to splash the cash in the January transfer window, but Newcastle felt a greater urgency than most in 2022. It marked their first chance to splurge since their takeover by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) – and they were also staring down the barrel of a relegation scrap.
Their position near the foot of the table naturally made recruitment more difficult. Although new head coach Eddie Howe had overseen the club’s first league victory of the campaign, Newcastle were inside the bottom three when the window officially opened.
The club had to attract players prepared to buy into a long-term vision, while accepting that an immediate survival fight lay ahead. Local boy Dan Burn required little persuasion to head back to the north east, and seasoned campaigners Kieran Tripper and Chris Wood were open to embracing a fresh test – but the standout moment arrived with the signing of Bruno Guimaraes.
He had spent only two seasons at Lyon, yet he had already caught the eye across the continent. Newcastle faced competition from other Premier League suitors but ultimately won the race for his signature. Signed for a fee that could rise to £40million, Guimaraes became Newcastle’s most expensive January signing at the time and has more than justified that investment since.
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Now 28, he wears the captain’s armband and committed his future further by agreeing to a new deal in 2023, which included a clause underlining his growing importance.
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Speaking in April 2024, Howe revealed that only an offer of £100m would allow another club to open talks with the skipper. That particular clause, however, lapsed during the following summer.
“I’m aware of his contractual status, but it’s not something I focus on,” Howe said at the time. “Having that was well planned and structured by the club, in a sense that there is a finish point.
“We don’t want the constant speculation, I don’t think that’s healthy for the player or for us. When it’s something you don’t necessarily have control over, I don’t tend to worry about it (the speculation linking him with moves). It goes without saying what my thoughts on the Bruno situation are.
“We want to keep him, we want to build our team around him and he’s an integral part of what we are doing. His form has been very good. He seems very happy and settled.
“He will be thinking about a busy summer ahead and where we can hopefully take the team. He is a big part of that. We are not in control of that, so we shall see.”
Howe ultimately got exactly what he wanted, with Guimaraes remaining at the club and playing a key role in securing a fifth-place finish and a return to the Champions League last season. Should any signings arrive on deadline day this year, it will take a lot for them to live up to Guimaraes’ example.
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
