Seven league goals for forty million or Joelinton’s incomprehensible transfer to Newcastle

Newcastle’s new owners are certainly not skimping in this transfer window, but that hasn’t always been the case. Even a year ago, every million in transfer money was being dealt with, well apart from the case of striker Joelinton.

Before the 2019/20 season, Newcastle fans knew that if their players were to do as well in their rescue mission as they did last year, the management had to bring in a new striker. And that’s what they’ve done.

The owner slapped himself in the pocket, paying £39.60m for Brazilian Joelinton. Looking at the sum, one would think it would be a big signing, but Joelinton had only one season under his belt on Europe’s top stage at the time.

Joelinton earned his first glory at Hoffenheim, through all competitions he appeared in thirty-five games in the 2018/19 season, scoring eleven goals and assisting twelve. He scored against Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and in the Champions League against Olympique Lyon.

That a team playing for salvation would pay almost forty million for him was not understood by anyone in the British Isles and the Brazilian striker came to Newcastle with a difficult position. He knew that if he failed, the high price would be constantly rubbed on his head by fans and media alike.

Joelinton didn’t start badly, in the third round he decided the game with the only goal of the game to win against Tottenham, but that was it for a long time. In the next thirty-five rounds he only scored once and assisted twice.

The Magpies fans went wild. On the one hand, they were taking a relatively quiet rescue with a ten point cushion for the relegation zone, but the millions spent on Joelinton annoyed them to an incredible degree.

It wasn’t just bad numbers, Joelinton was one of the worst players in the entire league. Below average in the end, often offside, rarely in the right position. And for 40 million, which was ungodly money for then-owner and known scrooge Mike Ashley.

Joelinton’s second season in England cannot be described as a success either. He scored four goals and assisted two, despite the fact that the management brought in his ideal partner, the quick-footed Callum Wilson, with whom they were to complement each other in attack.

While Wilson confirmed his role as a goalscorer and with Allan Saint-Maximin literally pushed Newcastle to safety, Joelinton lost one ball after another as the season wore on. It was only because of the weak competition that he was still getting regular starts.

If there was anything the tidy spiky striker could be praised for, it was for his strength in the air. He won countless header duels, and was even in the top ten of the league in that statistic. At the same time, it could never be said of him that he didn’t give a hundred percent in a match, he always worked from start to finish.

The current season is the most successful so far from Joelinton’s point of view. Let’s leave aside the miserable numbers (1+1) and focus on the game.

With the arrival of Eddie Howe as head coach, Joelinton has moved to the back line. Given his style of play, this was long overdue, but Steve Bruce was too conservative for that.

We’re seeing a very different Joelinton at offensive midfielder. He helps the speedy wingers with his strength in the scrums, stealing balls from Saint-Maximin’s run, which torments the opposition’s defensive line. Once the injured Wilson is sorted out, Newcastle could be very hittable.

Joelinton now faces a crucial half. If he doesn’t improve in productivity and the Magpies save themselves, the owners will bring in another midfielder and he will drop even further down the player hierarchy. And that wouldn’t be a good look for a $40 million signing.

Source: Transfermarket