Newcastle United have been rewarded for their more measured approach since the takeover.
Straying away from superstar signings for the sake of it, the success of Newcastle’s recruitment has been the bedrock upon which the club have shot up the table and into the Champions League.
Still, there’s always going to be a point where the club needs to change.
Not in terms of the players they sign but certainly when it comes to wages.
Eddie Howe has long wanted to keep the current structure in place but, as the team continues to scale new heights, that cannot go on long-term.
Already, it appears to be causing a slight issue.
The problem Newcastle have in extending Bruno Guimaraes’ contract
Indeed, Bruno Guimaraes has already stated his desire to stay at Newcastle.
Still, there has been no new development on the prospect of a new contract for the Brazilian amid reported long-standing interest from Real Madrid.
According to the Daily Mail, the wage structure is the problem.
Thought to be on £140k-per-week as things stand, that is said to be the summit of Newcastle’s current wage offering.
Very difficult situation for Newcastle
It would be foolish to even slightly suggest Guimaraes hasn’t done enough for a new deal. It would be equally hyperbolic to claim the current impasse means the 25-year-old is going to leave, too.
Still, long-term, you can see the issue. Guimaraes is a major star in the Premier League and naturally will surely want paying in line with other players of his standing.
For Newcastle, it’s all about balance. They cannot be held to ransom of course and other key players in the squad may start to feel they deserve big pay increases but they’re seemingly going to have to make some sort of concession to get this new deal over the line.
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