Bruno Guimaraes Newcastle Skipper Edges Closer to Return Following Two Month Injury Break

The Brazilian player, Newcastle's leading goalscorer in the Premier League this term with nine strikes, has been keen to resume action at the earliest opportunity, manager Eddie Howe informed journalists on Friday.

The medical staff are attempting to restrain him, or at least that is how I put it, as there is often a pull between the eagerness of the athlete to feature and my appreciation for Bruno's drive, Howe remarked.

I will decide based on his performance in practice today, though there might be a possibility for him to feature.

Midfielder Guimaraes was instrumental for Brazil in the World Cup qualifying matches, but the setback meant he sat out the recent international friendlies versus France and Croatia prior to the competition kicking off in June.

Nevertheless, the 28 year old's impressive displays prior to getting hurt have fuelled rumours of a summer switch to Real Madrid or Manchester United.

Newcastle's English attacker Anthony Gordon, boasting ten goals in the Champions League this campaign, has similarly been connected with interest from Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Arsenal among others.

Yet Howe emphasised his desire for squad members to show total dedication to Newcastle and its ambitions, regardless of the surrounding transfer rumours.

The key aspect I seek is full dedication in sessions, I refuse to select anyone unless I believe they are wholly invested in the team and its prospects, this applies broadly, not specifically to Anthony, he explained.

These prominent figures, such as those in our squad, constantly appear in headlines for various causes.

It is part of the landscape, one must learn to cope with it, comprehend it, and deliver peak performances amid the surrounding buzz.

Reaching this elite standard requires the capacity to manage such distractions, no athlete at this level can cite it as a reason for subpar showings, and our players do not internally.