Manager Mikel Arteta is keen to bolster his midfield this summer and views Guimaraes as an ideal addition.

There has been no formal club-to-club contact, as Newcastle remain resolute in their refusal to entertain bids for their 28-year-old talismanic captain and want to offer him a new deal.

The club have already generated an estimated £170 million in revenue this summer through the high-profile sales of Anthony Gordon to Barcelona and Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur.

They are under no immediate pressure to sanction another marquee departure.

However, retaining an unsettled captain presents a different challenge for manager Eddie Howe.

Guimaraes is increasingly frustrated by Newcastle’s recent decline, which resulted in a 12th-place finish and missing out on European qualification last season.

The ongoing exodus of key players has prompted the ‘priceless‘ midfielder to prioritise spending his prime years at a bigger club, with the prospect of Champions League football a major factor.

While Newcastle’s hierarchy are prepared to hold firm and demand a significant premium, Guimaraes’ desire to leave could ultimately weaken their negotiating position.

With his World Cup campaign now over following Brazil’s last-16 exit to Norway, Guimaraes could have his long-term future resolved in the coming weeks.