It was a statement which was a little revealing, in hindsight.<\/p>\n
“A very frustrating season, and without a doubt we are all very disappointed,” Guimaraes wrote on Instagram after Newcastle<\/a>‘s 2-0 defeat against Fulham<\/a> on the final day of the season.<\/p>\n “You fans definitely did not deserve this.”<\/p>\n Newcastle<\/a> ended up finishing in 12th place in the Premier League, failing to qualify for Europe, let alone the Champions League.<\/p>\n Tonali and Gordon have since left, meaning Newcastle<\/a> have lost three key players in less than a year following Alexander Isak’s protracted move to Liverpool<\/a> last summer.<\/p>\n A shift in strategy has led to Newcastle<\/a> targeting promising players aged 20 and under on the continent, such as Bazoumana Toure, who will naturally need a little time to flourish.<\/p>\n Guimaraes would be the ideal figure to help lead this rebuild for Newcastle<\/a> as the club’s captain, talisman and heartbeat.<\/p>\n Yet this is clearly a delicate juncture in his career as he approaches his 29th birthday.<\/p>\n Could it be one of his last chances to go somewhere else and compete for some of the biggest prizes in the game?<\/p>\n Guimaraes, ideally, hoped to do so at Newcastle<\/a> one day, having talked of the club’s ambition to be a “big power” following his move from Lyon in 2022.<\/p>\n So losing him would be beyond damaging and call the whole project into question.<\/p>\n