Bruno Guimaraes relationship with Newcastle United runs deep.
The love and affection are mutual, and it is hard to think of a player going into this unique club and city and grasping what it takes to represent it quite as well as he has.
The Brazilian, ranked the 12th best player in the Premier League this season by FourFourTwo, signed for the Magpies in January 2022, the first superstar addition of the Saudi Arabian-backed project.
He could have signed for Arsenal...
Kieran Trippier was in already, but has always been up front about returning closer to his roots taking priority with that move.
Guimaraes was a wanted man with the world at his feet; Arsenal had been linked for months, and his reputation at Lyon was growing.
Yet he still opted for Tyneside and the sharp end of a relegation battle, with no clauses protecting him.
He got stuck in from day one and that has been appreciated by the locals in this working-class city.
Now, before every game, his name booms around the stadium as line-ups are read out, something unique to him.
He believed in Newcastle, and Newcastle has fallen in love with him.
His aim was always Champions League football, and now club and player are just one win away from all but confirming their return following a 2-0 win over Chelsea at St James Park.
Since I came here I always showed my intention to play in the Champions League, he said after the match.
We are close but it is not enough. We have two games to go. It means a lot for me and for the club. We want to write the most beautiful history for this club.
Relentless and infectious are two words to sum up Guimaraes, because he has felt the growth of the club over the past three years, he has helped set the standard.
That desire for more was a key reason why Eddie Howe welcomed him into Newcastles leadership group; the senior squad members expected to guide the rest.
But not only that, he was handed the role of on-pitch captain.
For all the love hes received from fans, some questioned that decision.
It appeared to give Trippier, the previous incumbent seen as a more traditional leader, a cold shoulder.
Guimaraes is full blooded and emotional, as a player and a person; there were concerns from some who believed he wouldnt be able to channel that effectively.
During some of the more listless performances earlier in the season, Guimaraes contribution as captain was squarely in focus.
But as Newcastle have grown into the campaign, winning 21 of their last 28 matches in all competitions, the dissent has begun to evaporate.
Guimaraes had already shown he possessed the restraint in his game last season, towing the line of a two-match ban for 10 yellow cards for 11 matches.
While that in itself wasnt enough to give him the armband, coupling it with his consistency in both performance and availability, he became a more serious option.
During 2023-24, the 27-year-old played 50 of 51 matches for the Magpies.
As the season has progressed, hes stood up time and again.
As captain, the final message before battle is often his to give, and he always tries to leave an impression.
On Sunday, the most crucial game after Marchs Wembley success in the Carabao Cup, he hit the right note again.
My message for the boys was winning the cup is massive, but it is not enough, he said.
We want more. We want to play in the Champions League next season, it is not a secret. We want more for this club; we have to dream big. The future is bright.
Yet Guimaraes himself doesnt see a difference in his game this season.
I have been the same Bruno in the last three or four years since Ive been here, he told FourFourTwo when asked whether the captaincy has helped him.
This is a good question for the fans, not me.
Im just enjoying being myself, the same Bruno. The guy who came from Brazil. Im humble, I want to help the team; that is my role in this club.
And help he has. The club has transformed around him; his midfield partner Sandro Tonali has flourished by his side.
Alexander Isak, rated as the second-best player in the Premier League this season, has been unplayable up front, too. All three can certainly lay claim to being world-class.
Guimaraes influence has never wavered. He is one of Newcastles most reliable players, and Howe trusts him completely.
Throughout this season, he has shown a calmer, more authoritative side to his character, and that has helped put the club on the brink of success beyond its wildest dreams this season.
But the connection between him and the people of Newcastle drives everything he does. He gets them, and they recognise that.
When we play at home, the fans are always with us, he said. It is like having an extra player. They made the difference for us. I try to play as a fan; its a reason to be proud to wear this shirt.
In more difficult years gone by, Newcastle fans mantra was we dont demand a team that wins, we demand a team that tries.
With Bruno Guimaraes as captain, they have one who does both.
TOPICS
