Amid a punishing domestic season, Guimaraes was one of the few to enhance his reputation for Newcastle.
They finished 12th in the Premier League, and the outcome would likely have been far bleaker without their player of the season at Newcastle.
After working with the coaches on pushing higher up the pitch and anticipating breaks in the box, Guimaraes even ended the campaign as Newcastle‘s leading Premier League scorer with nine goals.
He netted the opening goals against Nottingham Forest, Burnley, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace, helping Newcastle collect 10 points from a possible 12.
His mindset stood out with several late strikes at St James’ Park, including a 90th-minute winner against Fulham and a stoppage-time penalty equaliser versus Leeds United in a topsy-turvy clash that Newcastle ultimately won.
Head coach Howe has long valued Guimaraes’ knack for making things happen.
Despite missing a sizeable stretch through injury, Guimaraes still finished among the league’s top five for defensive line-breaking passes (46) and through balls (21).
He also topped the charts at Newcastle for passes made under high-intensity pressure (998), highlighting his willingness to take responsibility.
Yet some aspects of his impact aren’t easily captured by numbers.
He has forged a strong connection with Newcastle fans, which has clearly driven him on, as season-ticket holder Adam Stoker observed.
Stoker pointed to Guimaraes’ reaction after the 2025 EFL Cup final—tears and a powerful post-match interview that, he felt, articulated the emotions better than many locals could.
He added that Guimaraes simply “gets it” in a way rare among modern players who often move on after a few years; Bruno is an exception.
It feels as though he has fully immersed himself in the club, the city and the wider region.
Stoker said he’d never seen a player build such a rapport with supporters, placing him in the same bracket as [Alan] Shearer.