Major Bruno Guimaraes decision made v Southampton after Newcastle United summer departure

The Brazilian was voted into Newcastle’s leadership group ahead of the new season following Matt Ritchie’s departure earlier in the summer. With club captain Jamaal Lascelles injured and vice-captain Kieran Trippier on the bench for the Southampton match, Guimaraes will lead the team out for the new season.

The 26-year-old’s place in the leadership group was confirmed earlier this month with Guimaraes stating in a press conference: “I’m very happy to have the responsibility to be in the leadership group. I want to be a leader, I want to help the club in many ways.

“Since I’ve been here, [Eddie Howe] has helped my game a lot and I’m grateful to him, the staff and the players. Now it’s time for me to deliver something special for them.”

Guimaraes added: “[Being in the leadership group] is a big challenge for me. English is not my first language so expressing myself is a little bit more difficult for me even today.

“I think I’m doing very well but, for me, a leader is not who wears the armband. It’s someone who always trains, who always fights for the club to deliver everything. I’m this way, last season I only missed one game.

“There are many, many ways to be a leader and I want to help the club and help this guy here [Howe] in the best way possible. I’m really excited to become a leader.

“Since I was young in Brazil, when I was 19 years old, I was a captain in Athletico Paranaense, a captain at Lyon as well so why not here? Why not try to believe in myself?

“I can’t wait to start this season.”  

Guimaraes also penned his first leadership group programme column to start the season in which he made a big claim about becoming a ‘legend’ for the club.

“I want my photo to be in the reception like Sir Bobby Robson, Kevin Keegan, Jackie Milburn,” he wrote. "I want to be a legend like them - but to truly achieve that, we need to lift a trophy."