If Newcastle United fails to qualify for Europe this season, they risk losing their finest players.
That is the opinion of HITC Football insider Graeme Bailey, who spoke with Geordie Boot Boys on the prospects of Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak.
They are, without a question, Newcastle United’s two best players currently. Bruno is the team’s talisman, and Eddie Howe has described him as world-class. Isak is undoubtedly the second best striker in the Premier League behind Erling Haaland, and he is Newcastle’s most costly signing to date.
They are both excellent players who deserve to compete in high-level competitions.
They are capable of competing in the Champions League, but it does not appear that they will do so next season.
That is because Newcastle are now battling in the Premier League, sitting in tenth place with ten games remaining. If they finish lower than 10th, they will be unable to compete in Europe. As it stands, eighth place might be enough to qualify for the Europa Conference League.
That must be the basic minimum for Newcastle, or Bruno and Isak will not ‘stay around’, according to Bailey.
Newcastle could lose Bruno and Isak if they miss out on Europe
“If you finish this low down, the squad aren’t going to be happy,” he went on to say.
“You have Bruno and Isak, two of the top players in Europe. Isak is one of Europe’s finest forwards, and Bruno is one of the best midfielders, no mistake about that.
“Why would they remain around if they finished below eighth place? It is their careers. They were sold a dream. When Bruno and Isak were sold this idea, it wasn’t ‘come play for Eddie Howe and although we’ll finish mid-table, it’ll be a wonderful laugh’. That was not what they signed up for. They signed for Champions League football year after year. They signed to challenge Manchester City and Liverpool.
“That is also what the PIF wants, and they are evaluating Eddie Howe’s viewpoint. Is he the man to take on the Premier League’s elite? “That is something only they can answer.”
Hopefully Newcastle keep their two top stars
Fingers crossed that Newcastle can finish in the top eight and qualify for Europe. That will hopefully persuade Bruno and Isak to stay.
However, Bruno’s £100 million release clause raises concerns. That makes us susceptible, but leaving for that much money would at least improve our profit and sustainability situation.
Isak would also cost a lot of money if he left, and he has been linked with a move to Premier League rivals Arsenal.
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