Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimarães has said that Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) have "got in the way of a lot of things" at the club and have forced Eddie Howe's side to let go of players even when "they didn't want to."
The league's financial regulations outline that clubs cannot make a loss greater than £105 million ($141m) over a three-year period, often incentivising sides to let go of homegrown players as they represent pure profit.
Newcastle had a high-profile academy graduate departure last season in Elliot Anderson, who moved to Nottingham Forest for £35m, while 19-year old Yankubah Minteh also left the club to join Brighton for £30m last summer without ever making a senior appearance on Tyneside.
And Guimarães believes PSR has been at the forefront of the business Newcastle have done in the last couple of seasons.
"I think that, to be very honest, the matter of the financial fair play [PSR], after it was created, with Newcastle with new owners, got in the way of a lot of things here," Guimarães told ESPN.
"We had situations where we had to sell players when we didn't even want to.
"I think that this season we managed to balance the financial fair play well. We can spend, we can hold onto players, we can do what the management sees fit, I say we but I can't do anything."
Despite their struggles in the transfer market, Newcastle's midfield three of Guimarães himself, Sandro Tonali, and Joelinton have excelled under Howe and the Brazil international said they are a huge part of the team's success.
"I think that, to be very honest, it is one of the best midfields in the league," Guimarães said.
"Everyone is similar, but everyone has their own way of playing, Joelinton is stronger, I'm a bit more technical and Tonali is a gladiator, so we were able to gather our strengths for the team and I believe that we are a midfield that does everything.
Guimarães joined Newcastle in January 2022 after he had made two appearances for Brazil in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and the 27-year-old has his eyes on football's biggest prize once again with the 2026 World Cup in North America set for next summer.
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"The World Cup is the main focus for me. I want to arrive very well, I want to be well at my club so that I can get called up. So this season at Newcastle, as I said, has everything to be my best," Guimarães said.
"I want to play my free, light and loose soccer. So that I can be able to perform. So that I can be the best version of Bruno possible. But I'm really excited for this season."
Much has changed mentality-wise at St. James' Park since Guimarães joined amid a relegation battle, and he made clear what the club's ambitions are going forward.
"When I arrived here, we were fighting not to get relegated," Guimarães said. "And now we're playing another Champions League, after winning a title after 70 years.
"I think we're on a great path, to be very honest with you, things have turned out better than I expected. This season we are coming to try to consolidate, to try to win titles again, to seek a place in the Champions League again, to have a decent Champions League and do well."