Lyon star Lucas Paqueta has bid an emotional farewell to Bruno Guimaraes following the midfielder’s £33 million move to Premier League outfit Newcastle United, writing on Instagram.
It wasn’t quite a partnership as telepathic as, say the Dwight Cole-Andy Yorke pairing that tore European football apart for Manchester United in 1999.
But Paqueta and Guimaraes certainly put plenty of smiles on Lyon faces; A double-act so brilliantly in tune that they’d make Morecambe and Wise look like strangers at a bus stop.
Look no further than the recent 1-1 draw with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Guimaraes seizes possession just inside his own half, looks up and sprays the most pinpoint of through balls in behind the PSG defence. Paqueta races into the box and smashes home with laser-like precision.
Could Lucas Paqueta join Bruno Guimaraes at Newcastle United?
But with Guimaraes now getting used to somewhat colder climes on the other side of the Channel, Paqueta will have to soldier on without his trusty team-mate and fellow Brazil international.
“My friend, the day has come to say goodbye,” sighs Paqueta. “I wanted to thank you, above all, for the friendship, the laughs and all the moments we had together.”
“Without your friendship, I wouldn’t be where I am today! I will miss you so much, on and off the pitch. You deserve everything. You will always be in my heart.”
“Thank you brother,” Guimaraes responds. “As I told you a thousand times, you’re the brother I never had. It was a huge pleasure to play and be by your side every day. I’ll miss you a lot.”
Only time will tell whether Paqueta can strike gold as a solo act.
Interestingly, before landing Guimaraes for a cool £33 million, Newcastle also made a move for Paqueta too. They even offered to make the former AC Milan forward their best-paid player, only for Paqueta to rebuff their advances.
With Guimaraes now plying his trade at St James’ Park, it will be interesting to see how Paqueta responds if Newcastle come calling again in the summer.
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