NEWCASTLE boss Eddie Howe has confirmed Bruno Guimaraes' £100m release clause expires in June - and insists he remains calm about the speculation surrounding his in-demand star midfielder.

The 26-year-old is wanted by Manchester City, Arsenal and PSG this summer, with approaches likely, and Howe thinks it's wise of the Magpies to have inserted an end-point on the clause in his contract.

He said: “Having that was well planned and structured by the club, in a sense that there is a finish point. We don’t want the constant speculation, I don’t think that’s healthy for the player or for us.”

Bruno has starred for Newcastle in his two-and-a-half years on Tyneside and is integral for Howe, and while the head coach is obviously well aware of the midfielder's importance, he insists he's not losing sleep over the constant transfer speculation.

“When it’s something you don’t necessarily have control over, I don’t tend to worry about it," said Howe, whose side are looking to bounce back from their defeat at Crystal Palace when they host bottom club Sheffield United this weekend.

“It goes without saying what my thoughts on the Bruno situation are. We want to keep him, we want to build our team around him and he’s an integral part of what we are doing.

“His form has been very good, he seems very happy and settled, he will be thinking about a busy summer ahead and where we can hopefully take the team. He is a big part of that.

“We are not in control of that, so we shall see.”

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Guimaraes and Sweden striker Alexander Isak are being closely monitored by a series of clubs amid a perception the Magpies may have to sell one of their big names this summer if they are to comply with Premier League profitability and sustainability rules.

Howe has repeatedly expressed his intention to retain his better players this summer but is acutely aware of the need to balance the books after a £400million recruitment drive under the club’s Saudi-backed owners.

That made for a difficult January and the 46-year-old knows the summer could be equally challenging.

Asked if he was in a position to sign ready-made elite players, Howe said: “Where we sit now, both in terms of wages and transfer fees, I don’t think we are in a position to do that.

“We have to sign and develop those players. We have to sign players with the potential to become world-class. I think we are well on our way to doing that with a few players already.

“It doesn’t mean you can’t have them existing in your squad. It means you have to work really hard with them. That is what we’ve always done, so I have no issue doing it.”