Newcastle fans are praising Kieran Trippier for his “true captain” reaction to Bruno Guimaraes moving to Arsenal.
Kieran Trippier recently shared his thoughts about Bruno Guimaraes’ move to Arsenal, and his words have sparked quite a buzz online.
Bruno Guimaraes, the Newcastle United captain, just made a big move this summer, joining Arsenal for a whopping £75 million. Although Newcastle insisted he wasn’t for sale, Guimaraes had been linked with Arsenal, the Premier League champions, all summer long.
He’s just one of several key players to leave St James’ Park before the new season, following others like Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali, Kieran Trippier himself, and even long-time manager Eddie Howe.
Fans have had mixed feelings about Guimaraes’ transfer. He played a huge role in helping Newcastle win their first major trophy since 1969 and brought them back into the Champions League, so many were sad to see him go.
On social media, one fan pointed out that after four and a half years of great service, Guimaraes deserved to move on to a club chasing the biggest trophies. But another fan felt that because the club has been through a tough and uncertain summer, the captain should have stayed and supported Newcastle when they needed him most. That fan even compared Guimaraes to Trippier, saying Trippier wanted to leave in the past but stayed without hiring a “super agent” to force a transfer.
What surprised everyone was Trippier himself replying to that comment, setting the record straight. He said, laughing, “Didn’t want out,” and added, “But didn’t & couldn’t get a super agent.”
Fans quickly praised Trippier in response. One wrote, “Trippier is actually the main character of the whole project. What a player.” Another said, “The real NUFC captain over the last 4 years. He will be hugely missed, absolute legend.” A third commented, “You were always the true captain and the most important signing since the club’s new ownership came in. No playing to the cameras, no fake badge kissing, just a top pro setting high standards. You’ll make a great head coach one day—I hope you come back in that role.”
Trippier left Newcastle United after his contract ended at the close of the 2025/26 season. He signed a two-year deal with Wolverhampton Wanderers, who had just been relegated but are strong contenders to return to the Premier League next season. This move should give Trippier regular playing time again, something he lost at Newcastle during his final season.
Meanwhile, Guimaraes, who wore number 39 at Newcastle, will keep that special number at Arsenal. The number was free at Arsenal after Harrison Dudziak left the club.
In a touching interview, Guimaraes shared why the number 39 means so much to him. He said, “My dad was a taxi driver in Brazil for over 20 years. The taxi gave me and my family everything—our home, food, clothes. When I signed with a big club in Brazil, I asked my dad which number to pick. He said 39. I was a bit upset because I wanted 97, but he said, ‘No, take 39. It gave you everything.’
“When I was 11 or 12, he drove me everywhere with the taxi’s number 39. When I started at Athletico Paranaense and saw the number 39 on my kit, I was scared and asked if I could change it. The kit man said yes, but I said no, it was perfect. I called my dad, and when I told him, he cried and said, ‘I told you, this number will bring you luck.’ Since then, I’ve always worn 39, and I even have a tattoo of it.”
His story really shows how much the number means to him—and now it will be a part of his new chapter at Arsenal!