It is looking increasingly likely that Bruno Guimaraes will join Premier League champions Arsenal this summer.
Newcastle have already lost key players in Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali this summer, but the impending departure of their captain might just be the biggest blow yet.
It will require yet more upheaval on Tyneside and the appointment of a new skipper is of paramount importance given the leadership hole left by the resignation of long-term head coach Eddie Howe.
We assess what options the Magpies have when it comes to appointing a new captain...
Dan Burn
Of all the players in the squad, Dan Burn is the most obvious candidate to don the armband next season.
Having featured in nine Premier League seasons, the 34-year-old can match virtually anyone else in the group for top-flight experience and is, of course, a boyhood Newcastle United supporter.
Burn's heroic defensive performance during England's World Cup round of 16 clash with Mexico perfectly epitomised his character, showing passion and fight in abundance; two characteristics that would go a long way to getting the Newcastle faithful on side.
The former Brighton man has led the team out on several occasions in the past and was even trusted with the armband when going head-to-head with Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League last season.
Jacob Murphy
Jacob Murphy was named captain for Newcastle's preseason loss to Bristol City last week, so has to be under consideration to earn the job on a full-time basis.
Featuring at both right-back and right-wing over his six-year spell at the club, the former Norwich man has been a first-team regular in the North East, playing 30+ Premier League games in four of the last five seasons.
There had been rumours linking the 31-year-old with an exit earlier in the summer, however, they seem to have died down in recent weeks.
