Kevin Keegan signed some brilliant players while Newcastle United manager and it appears as if his eye for talent hasn’t disappeared.
It has been almost two decades since Keegan left Newcastle United for the second time and he hasn’t returned to the managerial game since.
His second spell in charge of the club ended in disappointing fashion, although that was largely Mike Ashley’s fault and Keegan remains an icon for Newcastle fans.
During his time at the club, the Magpies went from the old Division One to almost winning the Premier League.
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Keegan brought the likes of Alan Shearer, Les Ferdinand and David Ginola to the club. In his second spell, he landed players like Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez.
It may have been a long time since Keegan had to make a signing but there is one Newcastle player who stands out for him, it seems.
Kevin Keegan says he’d sign Bruno Guimaraes if he was still a manager
Keegan was recently speaking at an event at former club Scunthorpe Town.
Naturally, a lot of the focus was on Sunday’s upcoming Tyne-Wear derby.
However, as one of the most iconic English managers in Premier League history, he was asked if there was one player he’d sign if he was still a manager today.
In quotes sourced by The Chronicle, Keegan named Bruno Guimaraes.
Guimaraes joined Newcastle from Lyon in January 2022 and has since become one of their greatest players in history, lifting the Carabao Cup as captain back in March.
“A midfielder who plays with imagination and bravery, traits increasingly rare in possession-heavy modern football and perfect for an attacking, expressive side,” he said of Guimaraes.
How would you actually feel if Newcastle United DIDN’T sign a player in January?!
It would cause a lot of talk on social media…
Why Bruno Guimaraes signed for Newcastle United in the midst of a relegation battle
It seems a long time ago now, but Newcastle were actually battling relegation when they signed Guimaraes from Lyon.
He arrived halfway through a campaign that at one point looked like it would send the Magpies down to the Championship.
Obviously, the money on offer from PIF would have helped convince Guimaraes, but that wasn’t the only thing in play.
Indeed, Guimaraes revealed that Kieran Trippier helped convince him to join Newcastle.
The fact that a player of such stature was willing to join the PIF project at an early stage convinced Guimaraes it was the right move for him to make.
No one has looked back since…
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