Fabrizio Romano delivers Man City £100m transfer update as decision looms

Fabrizio Romano has revealed Manchester City have until midnight tonight (Monday) if they are to meet Bruno Guimarares’ buyout clause.

The midfielder is the Premier League champions’ top summer transfer target but City are reluctant to match the £100m needed to secure a deal for Guimaraes. There is currently a feeling among Etihad officials that high-profile purchases will only be sanctioned if departures are confirmed, but it has been an extremely quiet start to the summer for City.

A transfer for Guimaraes has not been ruled out entirely and the Newcastle United star admitted earlier this month that his future is uncertain, while adding he is happy to remain on Tyneside. 

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano posted an update on X claiming City’s time to make a decision is running out. “Bruno Guimarães’ release clause worth £100m into his contract at Newcastle will expire tonight at 23.59pm UK time,” the Italian wrote on social media.

Guimaraes joined Newcastle in January 2022 and has made 107 appearances in that time. He played 50 of the Magpies’ 51 games in 2023/24 and has been called up to Brazil’s Copa America squad for this summer’s championships in the USA.

Should he join City, an option which is looking increasingly likely, he would be seen as a like-for-like replacement for Ilkay Gundogan. The German departed City 12 months ago and while Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes replaced him, both are seen as different stylistically in Pep Guardiola's squad.

Elsewhere, the only confirmed transfers so far for City this summer have seen Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Tommy Doyle make their loan moves to Southampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively become permanent. Youth players Josh Adam and Jamal Baptiste also departed on free transfers.