Ligue 1 giants Lyon have denied suggestions that a £33 million fee has been agreed with Premier League moneybags Newcastle United for Bruno Guimaraes, as reported by Le Progres.
Sir Alex Ferguson famously quipped that dealing with Daniel Levy was more painful than his hip replacement.
Doing business with Jean-Michel Aulas, then, must feel like getting your wisdom teeth removed by an over-zealous chimp with a hammer and a chisel.
Just ask Newcastle.
The newly-moneyed Magpies submitted a bid in the region of £34 million for Lucas Paqueta in December. They even offered to make the swaggering, skilful Brazil international the best paid player in their history on £180,000-a-week.
Aulas soon put pay to that however, delivering a fatal blow to Newcastle’s hopes with a trademark omnibus of blunderbuss.
Paqueta, he indicated, would be going nowhere for less than 80 million euros.
So when Newcastle came calling for Paqueta’s OL team-mate – and fellow Brazil international – it was always likely that history would repeat itself.
Will Newcastle United sign Lyon’s Bruno Guimaraes?
According to The Mail – and a variety of other publications – the Tynesiders have submitted a bid for Guimaraes.
Lyon aren’t denying that.
What they do have an issue with, however, are claims that Newcastle have agreed a deal (Globo Esporte).
“We deny an agreement with Newcastle,” reads a statement provided on behalf of Lyon.
The Mail do point out, however, that Lyon could do with an influx of cash.
Even France’s biggest clubs are struggling to deal with a devilish combination of COVID-19 and the collapse of a Mediapro’s mega-money television deal.
Guimaraes, who has been likened to Kevin de Bruyne and recently distanced himself from a move to Arsenal, is reportedly keen on a move to St James’ Park too (Athletic).
Perhaps that has something to do with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund being willing to quadruple his wages (RMC)…
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