Joelinton steps up as Newcastle try to move on from Bruno Guimaraes exit

Newcastle's week has been dominated by the fallout from Bruno Guimaraes' departure to Arsenal, with Joelinton now being talked up as the man to fill the leadership void before Sunday's trip to Crystal Palace.

The Sun (The Sun) reports that Joelinton is "taking a leaf out of Bruno Guimaraes' book to help stop the rot" at Newcastle, with the 30-year-old said to have issued a passionate rallying call to his team-mates ahead of the crunch match at Selhurst Park. Chronicle Live (Chronicle Live) backs this up, saying Joelinton has opened up on Newcastle's difficult week and on the leadership qualities he is trying to bring to the dressing room as they look to respond against Palace.

Away from the dressing room, the wider story around Bruno continues to rumble on. Newcastle World (Newcastle World) focuses on reaction to Bruno's looming return to St James' Park with Arsenal next month, noting he has been "slammed" in some quarters over what's being described as a "PR stunt" tied to that reunion. The Mag (The Mag), meanwhile, looks back at how the move actually came about, recalling that it was confirmed on 8 August 2026 that the Newcastle captain had signed for Arsenal after it became clear throughout the summer window that his exit was on the cards.

Where the outlets differ is in focus rather than facts: The Sun (The Sun) and Chronicle Live (Chronicle Live) are both centred on how Joelinton and the current squad are responding on the pitch, using Bruno's example as inspiration rather than dwelling on the transfer itself. Newcastle World (Newcastle World) and The Mag (The Mag), by contrast, are more concerned with the narrative and reaction around Bruno's switch to Arsenal and his upcoming return to Tyneside.

Taken together, it paints a picture of a club still adjusting to losing its captain, with senior figures like Joelinton stepping up to steady the ship ahead of a tricky away day against Crystal Palace, while the Bruno story itself continues to generate headlines in the background as his Arsenal return edges closer.

Written with the help of AI, using the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.