Man Utd in ‘advanced talks’ for €80m Bruno Guimaraes – why the move makes sense

Robin Bairner
Robin Bairner
  • 19 Mar 2026 08:48 GMT
  • 4 min read
Bruno Guimaraes, Man Utd
© IMAGO

Manchester United are in “advanced talks” to sign Bruno Guimaraes in a deal worth €80 million from Newcastle United.

Article continues under the video

The Red Devils have been linked with a string of big-name midfielders prior to the summer transfer window, but Reuters reports they are closing in on a move for the Brazil international.

Newcastle’s Champions League exit at the hands of Barcelona – the Magpies were beaten 7-2 in Camp Nou on Wednesday – has paved the way for Bruno, who is currently out injured, to depart the club in the summer.

Current ETV
Player image Bruno Guimarães
Bruno Guimarães

M, DM (C)

Newcastle logo

Newcastle

Bruno Guimarães
Bruno Guimarães

M, DM (C)

Newcastle

Newcastle

€80.8M

ETV Range

€72.8M - €88.9M

Casemiro recommends Bruno to Man Utd

United are set for a busy summer in the transfer market and are likely to sign at least two central midfielders. Casemiro has already confirmed he will leave Old Trafford at the end of the season and has personally recommended Bruno to his employers.

In particular, Casemiro has praised the Newcastle star for his “experience and leadership”.

What appeared to be a “smooth” transfer, though, has been complicated by a sudden interest from Real Madrid that could thwart the Premier League side.

Casemiro has recommended Bruno Guimaraes to replace him at Man Utd
© IMAGO - Casemiro has recommended Bruno Guimaraes to replace him at Man Utd

Man Utd follow trusted transfer formula

Man Utd are reaping the rewards from signing experienced Premier League talent last summer. Both Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, who arrived from Wolves and Brentford respectively, have been undoubted hits at Old Trafford, and in chasing Bruno Guimaraes, they are following that formula once again.

A price of €80m represents good value, meanwhile. Bruno’s Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) sits at €80.8m.

Compared to the other players that United have been linked with – Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba and Elliot Anderson, in particular – there is little doubt that Bruno Guimaraes represents more reasonable value. As such, the substance behind this rumour checks out.

The Red Devils, meanwhile, have recognised that they need a player at the peak of his powers if they are to continue building the club back to a title-challenging level. Whereas rivals Chelsea have dogmatically chased young players, United have adopted a more practical approach.

Bruno Guimaraes to Man Utd: A good move?

Bruno Guimaraes to Manchester United is a deal that data analytics firm SciSports is somewhat optimistic will be a success. Based on its analysis, which takes into account factors such as potential development, playing time, style and formation, the Red Devils get a Club Fit score of 71.

This lags behind Premier League rivals Arsenal (88), Manchester City (85) and Liverpool (73), but there is a big caveat behind this figure.

Bruno Guimaraes, Man Utd Club Fit
© IMAGO/FootballTransfers - Bruno Guimaraes, Man Utd Club Fit

United have no permanent manager and, at present, it’s unclear who will be in charge next season. The Red Devils score weakly in terms of style and formation, which could totally change by the beginning of next term.

After months of rumours, it finally appears that the wheels of a major transfer are grinding into motion at Man Utd, with Bruno Guimaraes in line to be the first big move of the summer – as long as Real Madrid can be fended off.

Related stories:

Man Utd step up talks for €100m midfielder with top target 'extremely open' to summer transfer

Barcelona’s crushing Newcastle win is bad news for Marcus Rashford

The FootballTransfers app

Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.

The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:

Google Play

App Store

Never miss the next big transfer!

Get the latest transfer insights and analyses directly in your mailbox.