'I'm not under the table' - Bruno Guimaraes tells Newcastle how to avoid repeat of Alexander Isak saga after £125m sale to Liverpool

Isak’s controversial move to Liverpool left a sour taste in many mouths within the Newcastle camp. Now, Guimares has made it clear that although he’s not blind to the challenges that come with financial fair play regulations, he believes that the board must show more ambition to keep the best players at Tyneside.  

Guimaraes, believed to have been one of the players who was unhappy with Isak’s decision to go on strike, didn’t mince words when addressing the matter.

"You have the financial fair play and I don’t know if this affects things or not - I’m not under the table to see the circumstance to see what was going on. Football is business," he said.

"As a player, we don’t want to lose our best players, if you want to be successful. We have to improve our squad, and I think we did this very well in this summer, we look forward to go again. I want to win things. I have never changed my mind and I still look to make history at this club. We have been in the Champions League two times in the last three years, that is unbelievable for us. We have to keep that going. There is a big job for us to do here and I want to be part of this team."

The squad’s focus is firmly on the present, and Guimaraes made it clear that despite the setbacks, the players are ready to embrace their future together. With Isak now in Liverpool’s colours, there’s a fresh determination within the camp to push forward and build a legacy that lasts.

Newcastle’s match against Barcelona in the Champions League on Thursday isn’t just another game; it’s a statement. The Magpies are eager to show that their place among Europe’s elite isn’t just a flash in the pan but a sign of things to come.