Newcastle United have been through a roller-coaster of emotions over the last couple of seasons. From being freed of the restraints of Mike Ashley, to being knocked out of the Champions League group stages and finishing at the bottom of their group.
There have been many ups and downs, but, most would argue that since their takeover, the Magpies have had something of an upward trajectory. One way to showcase this is the signings that the club have made.
Since Eddie Howe took over from Steve Bruce, the former Bournemouth manager, has taken on Newcastle leaps and bounds.
This is not only due to his managerial style and tactical choices but, the players he has brought in to help bolster his squad. One player in particular has adapted to life in Tynside extremely well and has completely changed the team.
Since joining the club in 2022 for a whopping £40m, the player's value has been increased by a staggering 112%, and it shows no signs of slowing down despite Newcastle's underperformance this year.
The club currently reside in ninth place in the Premier League table and, at the time of writing, have 33 points. This total puts them 13 points adrift of the top four spots they were out to achieve at the start of the season.
Granted, their misfortunes can largely be put down to the sheer amount of injuries that they have sustained, but, they should have more than enough quality to be higher up the table.
Newcastle star sees value soar by 112%
The player whose value has been raised by 112% after signing for Newcastle is that of Bruno Guimaraes. The Brazil international has undoubtedly been PIF's stand-out signing whilst at the club.
This is proven by the statistics he has managed to generate during his two-year stint with the Magpies. Since joining in the 2022 January transfer window, the midfielder has played a total of 90 games across all competitions and contributed to 23 goals.
Bear in mind that, although these numbers wouldn't be the most eye-catching for an attacking midfielder, the Brazil international has played the majority of his games in defensive midfield.
Before accepting a move to Newcastle, Guimarares was allegedly one of the most sought-after players in world football. He had been setting Ligue 1 alight as an Olympique Lyon player and even managed to get six assists for his team.
The current valuation of Bruno Guimaraes
CIES Football Observatory currently value the Brazil international at €100m (£85m) which is around £45m more than what the Magpies paid for him just two years ago.
Although the 26-year-old was sought-after by many across the 2021/22 season due to the talent he possesses, he has somehow become an even better player than the one who joined the club two years ago.
#1 Bruno Guimaraes
£85m
#2 Alex Isak
£85m
#3 Joelinton
£51m
#4 Anthony Gordon
£51m
#5 Sandro Tonali
£43m
He has been described in the media, notably by Toon reporter Craig Hope as "special" and his talents have not gone unnoticed by his current manager, who has lauded the midfielder as a "top player."
"You need your top players to play really well when you’re in a situation like this that we’re in at the moment, and I think Bruno has certainly done that," Howe said in December 2023.
"He’s such an important person to that part of the game for us that it is hard work for him physically, but he’s able to repeat those physical exertions that we need him to, so I think his game’s in a very good place. It has to be for us to perform well because he’s at the fulcrum of everything really."
This praise from Howe alone outlines how much of an impact that Guimaraes has had on the squad. Without him, Newcastle would likely not have been as fortunate to qualify for the Champions League last season. They have well and truly hit the jackpot with this move.