Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes and Sven Botman will have the desire to play European football within the next few years.
This has been suggested by the reliable Toon correspondent Liam Kennedy who has been discussing the short-term targets of the Magpies on the NUFC Matters YouTube channel.
The Tynesiders were able to beat Champions League competition to the signature of Botman this summer with AC Milan heavily linked to the Dutch centre-back.
And with Guimaraes, Champions League contenders, Arsenal, were believed to hold a strong interest in landing the Brazilian who eventually chose the Toon.
Newcastle made progress last season after Eddie Howe’s arrival, however, it does seem as if there is a slight concern breaking the mould at the top of the table may be a potential stumbling block:
“Look, I think it’s quite black and white. And it’s a really difficult position for the football club to balance. They’re signing players who in Bruno Guimaraes, as the main example in this, is expecting European football.
“And at mid-20s, in a Brazil squad going to the World Cup, I don’t think he will accept too many more seasons, I don’t think he’ll accept two seasons outside not just the Champions League but Europa League potentially football, he will want to be playing European football.”
“Some of these footballers and I imagine Sven Botman, who could have went a Champions League football [club], played Champions League football last season, by the way as well. I don’t think he’s going to accept three years outside the Champions League at Newcastle United.”
“I just think even though people out there might disagree with me – I absolutely believe it. But I think it is a bit of a ticking time bomb they have to get European football or when things.”
TIF Thoughts on Kennedy’s comments…
We do agree with Kennedy’s comments to an extent. These players have arrived on Tyneside on the back of the project being pitched to them by the new ownership at St. James’ Park.
Do you expect NUFC to be in Europe in two years time?
Yes
No
So we would imagine there will be plans in place for the Toon to narrow the gap to the European spots in the coming seasons, however, we do wonder how long the likes of Guimaraes will settle without playing on the European stage?
With this in mind, we do think it may depend on whether the Toon do make real progress in the coming years and show signs of actually threatening to disrupt the ‘top six’ on the pitch as well as in the transfer windows.