This season has been something of a write-off for Newcastle United and their supporters, which is disappointing when you consider where they were at as a club coming into the campaign.
There have been a few highlights of course. As recently as this weekend the Magpies first-team provided some incredible entertainment in their match against West Ham United, coming back from 3-1 down with 13 minutes to go, to win 4-3.
The atmosphere in that game will rank alongside that which the St. James’ Park faithful produced during a stunning display which saw Newcastle dismantle Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League earlier in the season.
That was clearly the high point as not long after that the injuries came thick and fast and ultimately saw the club knocked out of Europe altogether.
It’s a situation that hasn’t let up with Jamaal Lascelles recently ruled out for up to nine months, and Miggy Almiron also taken off against West Ham, to add to the club’s casualty list.
For any of the Toon Army looking for some good news, however, they might be waiting for a little while.
Bruno Guimaraes may be sacrificed by Newcastle
“It’s also a possibility for Newcastle to sell one big star this summer too,” Fabrizio Romano said to CaughtOffside for his Daily Briefing.
“It will depend on the final verdict about Financial Fair Play but it’s a possibility, from what I’m told.
“Newcastle would love to keep all their stars but some of them, like Bruno Guimaraes, have a release clause, so it’s gonna be time to follow those ones in the summer.
“I’m sure they want to add also some players to their squad in different positions, so it’s not only about the outgoings.”
Guimaraes has been mentioned previously as a player that might have to be sacrificed, but that could be wholly detrimental to what Eddie Howe and his team are trying to achieve.
The Brazilian is the fulcrum for his team and the one man that just keeps on running from first minute to last.
Such is the nature of FFP however, that Newcastle just might have to swallow the deal and extract the maximum from it to go some way to pacifying the supporters.
From Howe’s point of view, if Guimaraes does go, he’ll need to think long and hard as to who comes in, because the Brazilian has arguably been his most important player to date.