Bruno Guimaraes is Newcastle United’s new team captain and is now almost certain to remain at the club, Mail Sport can reveal.
The Brazilian wore the armband in a competitive fixture for the first time versus Southampton on Saturday, with captain Jamaal Lascelles injured and vice-captain Kieran Trippier on the bench.
Trippier has led out the team during the majority of matches since arriving from Atletico Madrid in January 2022, but that will now be the duty of Guimaraes.
Eddie Howe believes the midfielder will thrive given the extra responsibility and is thought to have wanted clarity around the situation of who captains the team on a permanent basis, with Guimaraes promoted to the role.
Lascelles has been promoted to a newly-created position of ‘club captain’, while Trippier will continue as vice-captain and part of the leadership group along with Dan Burn, Callum Wilson and Jacob Murphy.
Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has been promoted to be Newcastle United’s captain
Trippier’s future on Tyneside remains uncertain - there is interest from home and abroad - but Howe wants him to stay, with staff sure the England star will be a leader with or without the armband.
Guimaraes, meanwhile, is admired by Manchester City, but sources are confident he will still be at St James’ Park beyond next Friday’s transfer deadline.
The 26-year-old has spoken of his pride at skippering the team during the 1-0 victory over the Saints, and the reward of the armband is a sign of his commitment to the club.
Lascelles remains sidelined with a long-term knee injury and is still ‘months’ away from a return, while Trippier is set to build his fitness by playing 45 minutes for Newcastle’s Under-21s versus Sunderland on Monday night.