Bruno Guimaraes missed Tyne–Wear derby after being forced into isolation

Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has explained his absence from Sunday's clash against Sunderland as he continues to isolate at home.

Guimaraes has missed Newcastle's last five Premier League games after suffering a hamstring injury in their 2-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur on February 10.

He did travel for the club's Champions League last 16 clash against Barcelona on Wednesday night and watched from the stands as Eddie Howe's side fell to a 7-2 defeat.

However, the Brazilian did not travel to St James' Park for this weekend's Tyne-Wear derby, and his absence raised eyebrows as he continues to be linked with a move to Manchester United.

After a late goal from Brian Brobbey sealed all three points for the away side, Guimaraes released a statement to explain his absence.

Sunderland recorded a 2-1 win at St James' Park thanks to a late goal from Brian Brobbey. Image credit: Getty

The 28-year-old midfielder confirmed he has been diagnosed with mumps after noticing his face had become swollen on his return to Newcastle.

"The only reason I'm not at the stadium in Newcastle is that after our flight back from Barcelona, I noticed my face was swollen and thought I was having an allergic reaction," he wrote on Instagram.

"But the next day when I woke up, I realized it was much more than that. I sent a photo to the doctor and he came to examine me."

Guimaraes added: "It was confirmed that I have mumps, and I need to remain in isolation for 5 days and stay away from physical activities for a bit longer. My focus now is to recover and be 100% as soon as possible."

Mumps is a highly contagious infection that can cause painful swelling on the cheeks and neck.

Manchester United in 'advanced talks' to sign Bruno Guimaraes

Earlier this week, it was reported that Manchester United are in 'advanced talks' to sign Bruno Guimaraes for £69 million, according to Reuters.

Guimaraes is being strongly linked with a move away from Newcastle. Image credit: Getty

Casemiro, who will leave Old Trafford at the end of the season, is said to have urged United chiefs to sign Guimaraes, who has been one of Newcastle's standout performers since arriving in 2022.

However, the move could be complicated by renewed interest from Real Madrid.

It has been suggested that Madrid's interest in Guimaraes has been long-standing, dating back to when Carlo Ancelotti was in charge. The Italian reportedly suggested the Brazilian as a successor to Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.