Why Bruno Guimaraes' move to Newcastle United is still ON despite Lyon statement

The Magpies’ pursuit of Lyon midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has been a whirlwind of claims and counter claims over the past 24 hours.

But what is actually happening?

What has been reported so far

Reports emerged on Tuesday evening that Newcastle had submitted a formal bid of €40million to Lyon for Guimaraes.

Various sources then claimed on Wednesday that a fee had been agreed with Lyon and the player is set for a medical at Newcastle ahead of a potential move.

The 24-year-old is currently away in Ecuador with Brazil’s national team and it is understood that he will undergo a Newcastle medical while on international duty.

Sources on Newcastle’s side also feel that the deal is moving in a positive direction as they look to secure the player before deadline day on January 31.

Lyon present a fresh twist

As the Guimaraes to Newcastle story gathered momentum, Lyon issued a strong statement categorically denying the ‘false information’ that a fee had been agreed.

Lyon’s statement read: “Olympique Lyonnais categorically denies the false information disseminated by many media reporting an agreement between Newcastle and OL for the transfer of Brazilian international midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.”

This appears a big blow to Newcastle’s transfer hopes on face value but several sources have maintained that a deal remains close despite Lyon’s statement.

And the previous time the Ligue 1 club issued such a statement was back in 2019 regarding Ferland Mendy and Real Madrid, a deal which ultimately went through a week later.

The fact Lyon are a publicly listed company on the stock exchange means they are obliged to make any announcement that could significantly impact the business (such as a €40million transfer) to the stock exchange first. This could help explain why they have issued such a statement, particularly in relation to the potential transfer fee for Guimaraes.

What happens now?

A deal remains on the table and could still happen though it is clear there is still some work to do. Lyon’s statement confirms that no formal contracts have been signed but they can still reach an agreement with United.

Nothing is straight forward for Newcastle this month, but this one is certainly worth keeping an eye on.

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