Bruno Guimaraes has joked how “brother” Joelinton initially blanked him when he first joined the club. Newcastle United shelled out £35million to lure the Brazilian away from Lyon in January - the standout addition from a busy winter window.
Since then, the midfield maestro has emerged as the latest fans’ favourite at St James’ Park. Authoritative midfield displays as well as a new-found goalscoring ability have helped endear Guimaraes to Toon supporters and his teammates.
Compatriot Joelinton, whose own resurgence on Tyneside runs parallel to Guimaraes’ Newcastle career, is his closest friend at the club. The Brazilian duo are two of the first names on Eddie Howe’s team sheet, with hundreds of green and yellow flags on display around the ground.
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However, Joelinton accidentally shunned his team-mate when he first joined the club. Speaking to FourFourTwo magazine, Guimaraes revealed how he was left hanging after sending a message on social media.
“It took him (Joelinton) three days to reply to me!” Guimaraes quipped. “I still joke with him about that. He apologised and said he didn’t check his account very often, so he hadn’t noticed it.
“I’m more confident in talking to other players as well, although Joelinton still acts as translator sometimes. He’s like an older brother to me and we’re getting along well. When I arrived at the club, he showed me around, explaining how everything worked. Where I could find my kit and leave my boots.
The midfielder also spoke to other Newcastle players - both past and present - before finalising his big-money move. Guimaraes added: “Allan Saint-Maximin, on the other hand, got in touch and welcomed me. I also had a chat with Caçapa, he’s an assistant coach at Lyon. He said he and his family loved their time at Newcastle.”
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