Newcastle will probably breathe a sigh of relief when the release clause in Bruno Guimaraes's contract expires.

This way of getting out of a contract gives power to the player, as it allows a buying club to make an offer that the selling club cannot be refused. There would be no such clause in Erling Haaland's contract if Manchester City had their way, and Newcastle are entitled to be pleased if a decision on their playmaker is not made for them - however much it would sweep away any PSR (Profit and Sustainability Rules) worries in one swoop.

However, not all release clauses are the same. Some, like Haaland, are a way of presenting the only acceptable amount for the player and others - like Jack Grealish at Aston Villa - are a way of finding the best solution for the player and the selling club.

Grealish had previously had strong interest from both Tottenham and Manchester United, and even though he eventually stayed with his boyhood club through the two dalliances, there was never a sense that he was unattainable. The longer he stayed, the harder it would be to leave, and so PS100m was seen as an opportunity for a clean break that wouldn't need Grealish to agitate for a move away and upset the Villa fans (how well that worked out!).

"We set the value at a level we hoped would not be met, but which would reflect his truly unique value to Aston Villa," said Villa chief executive Christian Purslow. Without the release clause, Grealish could have been as high as PS100m but it is doubtful City would have started anywhere near as high as that - the tax was for the ease of the transfer.

Guimaraes may not have the history with Newcastle that Grealish had with Villa yet he does hold a similar importance, and the same PS100m clause also reflects a value that the Geordies will be happy to never receive. As with Grealish, with the clause gone it is difficult to immediately price Guimaraes at nine figures given the British record is PS105m for younger English talent Declan Rice.

City wanted Grealish because he offered something to their attack that they didn't have, but with their current squad it is difficult to see who makes way for the Newcastle man when Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Mateo Kovacic, Julian Alvarez and Matheus Nunes will all want playing time. It simply isn't worth PS100m to make one or two of those players unhappy.

There is of course the potential for either or both of De Bruyne and Silva to exit this summer, and if they were to leave then the value of Guimaraes to City would go up.

As it is, however much Newcastle may celebrate the expiry of their star's release clause, it will not end his chances of a move to the Blues if their circumstances change.

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