Bruno Guimaraes: Newcastle signing likened to Kevin de Bruyne

«If anyone here is afraid to play, pass the ball to me because I want to play and win this trophy.»

It has been more than two years since that half-time speech at the Beira Rio stadium, but manager Tiago Nunes still remembers it vividly.

The team he coached at the time, Ahtletico Paranaense, were playing Internacional de Porto Alegre in the second leg of the 2019 Brazilian Cup final and were drawing 1-1 after the first 45 minutes.

As it stood, following a home 1-0 victory in the first leg, they were risking seeing the game head to penalties if they conceded another goal.

Bruno Guimaraes was far from happy with what he had just witnessed on the pitch. And so, despite being just 21 at the time, he told players much older than him to keep it simple and send the ball to him if they needed to.

It worked out and, after a much better display, Athletico sealed a 2-1 victory and lifted the trophy.

Having already led the team to the Copa Sudamericana title the previous season, the deep-lying midfielder immediately earned near-legendary status in Curitiba.

«That was a tough match, with 50,000 local fans in the stands, so much pressure and it just hadn't clicked for us in the first half,» Nunes, now manager at Ceara, told BBC Sport.

«But then, when we got to the dressing room, Bruno said those words, even though he was one of the youngest boys around. That just proved his maturity and leadership to play in an environment of so much pressure.»

Guimaraes is now expected to do the same for Newcastle United after the Magpies completed his signing from Lyon in a deal worth an initial £35m.

The 24-year-old had been keen on a move to the Premier League for some time and will be fulfilling a long-time dream as he arrives at St James' Park to help