Losing 'priceless' Guimaraes would call the whole project into question

[Getty Images] It was a statement which was a little revealing, in hindsight. "A very frustrating season, and without a doubt we are all very disappointed," Bruno Guimaraes wrote on Instagram after Newcastle's 2-0 defeat by Fulham on the final day of the season. "You fans definitely did not deserve this." Newcastle ended up finishing 12th in the Premier League, failing to qualify for Europe, let alone the Champions League. Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali have since left, meaning Newcastle have lost three key players in less than a year, following Alexander Isak's protracted move to Liverpool last summer. A shift in strategy has led to Newcastle targeting promising players aged 20 and under on the continent, such as Bazoumana Toure , who will naturally need a little time to flourish. Guimaraes would be the ideal figure to help lead this rebuild for Newcastle as the club's captain and heartbeat. Yet this is clearly a delicate juncture in his career as he approaches his 29th birthday. Could it be one of his last chances to go somewhere else and compete for some of the biggest prizes in the game? Guimaraes, ideally, hoped to do so at Newcastle one day, having talked of the club's ambition to be a "big power" following his move from Lyon in 2022 . So losing him would be beyond damaging and call the whole project into question. Given the going rate for midfielders, Newcastle would be in a strong position to command a premium for the Brazil starter - far more than the £60m mooted. But no-one at the club will want to contemplate such a thought. Guimaraes really is priceless to this side.