Liverpool reportedly failed with a £100 million bid for Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes. News outlet AS says (via Metro) that the Reds put in the massive bid in the closing stages of the summer transfer window, but it was rejected by the Magpies.
Adding Guimaraes in the No. 6 role could have been ideal for the Reds, but it's understandable why Newcastle might have said no to the proposal. He's a key player for Magpies, who're now back in the Champions League after two decades.
Signed for €42 million from Lyon in January 2022 (as one of the first signings under the new owners), Guimaraes has impressed. He has racked up 61 appearances across competitions, registering 10 goals and six assists, helping the club finish in the top four for the first time in nearly two decades.
He's adept in controlling the tempo of play from deeper positions in midfield while also making occasional runs forward. Guimaraes is also excellent in winning back possession during transitions, a quality that would have been ideal for Liverpool.
Liverpool underwent massive midfield overhaul this summer
Liverpool have had a massive midfield reshuffle this season. They have had several experienced players leave and have now replaced them with fresh faces.
The reported news of the Reds missing out on Guimaraes, though, will be a song fans have heard one time too many this season. They battled against Chelsea for the prized signings of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia. Both players, though, snubbed the Reds, leaving the club short of key players in important areas on the pitch.
They began the summer with the exits of Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner in midfield. The club quickly brought in Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai from Brighton & Hove Albion and RB Leipzig, respectively.
However, the partial rebuild suffered a hit when the Reds lost Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to the Saudi Pro League. That left Liverpool short of midfielders, particularly in the crucial No. 6 role, which explains their desire to sign Guimaraes.
They ended up signing Wataru Endo from VfB Stuttgart for €19 million and also added Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich for a reported fee of €40 million.