Eddie Howe drops Bruno Guimaraes hint at Newcastle United ahead of West Ham United game

Guimaraes, signed on transfer deadline day from Olympique Lyonnais for an initial £35million fee, has come off the bench in the club’s last two games.

And Howe was asked about the 24-year-old ahead of tomorrow’s fixture against West Ham United.

The 17th-placed club’s head coach is reluctant to change a team which has won its last three Premier League games – and Guimaraes could again find himself on the bench at the London Stadium.

Asked if fans would see more of the Brazil international against West Ham, Howe said: “Difficult to predict. Yes, hopefully. I’m keen to see him like everyone else is, but it has to be at the right time and it has to be when the team needs him.

"For me, he’s going to play lot of games for this football club, and he’s going to play a lot of games this season, but, at the moment, the midfield has worked incredibly well the last three games, and I’m reluctant to make too many changes to the team when we’re in a really good flow.”

Guimarares has already impressed Howe and his new team-mates in training.

“Bruno, in training, has already shown how good he is – and what he’s going to bring to the team,” said Howe.

Howe started Jonjo Shelvey, Joelinton and Joe Willock in a three-man midfield last weekend.

“It’s a really strong area, probably our strongest area in terms of personnel,” said Howe. “You add Sean Longstaff to that. Every player can have an argument (of) ‘I deserve to start’, so long may that continue.

"Bruno will start a lot of games for us, and, I think, will be a huge player.

"This period where he’s watching and learning about the Premier League, I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all for him (to be starting on the bench), although he’ll be, I’m sure, frustrated, because he wants to show everybody his talents.

"He’ll have plenty of games to do that, especially with our fixture list on the horizon.”

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