EDDIE HOWE slammed “nonsense” and “disrespectful” claims Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes is in “advanced talks” with Manchester United.
The Toon boss instead insisted that the “totally committed” skipper is doing everything possible to help fire the Mags back into Europe.
A host of top clubs are circling around Howe’s star men with their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League looking slim.
He admits that the transfer noise is “unwanted” ahead of Sunday’s crunch derby with Sunderland.
But he furiously hit back at talk from Guimaraes’ homeland that his Samba ace is lining up a switch to Old Trafford.
Howe said: “Is it a problem for us? I don’t necessarily think it is a problem for us. But it is unwanted news, I suppose, is the best way to put it. You don’t want the players distracted. I don’t know how much they will absorb that.
“For me, it is not the time to think about it. In the summer, you can understand those stories a little bit more because the transfer window is open.
“To say our captain is in discussions with another club is totally disrespectful to Bruno more than anything else, he is totally committed here.”
Howe added: “I’m not going to be impolite, as this isn’t the forum for that, but for me, it is just a nonsense story.
“To say our captain is in discussions with another club is totally disrespectful to Bruno more than anything else, he is totally committed here.
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“Bruno’s our captain, he’s fully committed, he’s injured at the moment, his only focus is coming back to fitness.”
Guimaraes returned from rehabbing his hamstring injury in Brazil this week to travel with his Newcastle team-mates for the 7-2 Champions League drubbing at Barcelona.
But the derby will come too soon for his return, though Sandro Tonali could be available despite limping off at the Nou Camp with a groin problem.
Howe said: “We’ll wait and see. Hopefully not as bad as maybe first feared when I saw him limping off the pitch.
“We’ll see how he is today and then make a decision closer to the game.”
