Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton has conceded that he has ‘never’ been the centre-forward that Steve Bruce signed him to be in a club-record deal.
Joelinton was brought to the Premier League by the Magpies in July 2019. As the first signing of Bruce’s tenure, the St James’ Park club paid TSG Hoffenheim £40 million for the Brazilian.
According to Chronicle Live, Rafa Benitez refused to sign Joelinton while still in charge.
Joelinton was a player on Newcastle’s radar at the end of Benitez’s stay on Tyneside. Scouts for the Toon were impressed by the Alianca native’s performances on the left side of Hoffenheim’s attack in Germany. Benitez, however, refused to sign off on the trade.
Newcastle secured Joelinton’s transfer once Benitez was out of their way
Bruce taking over for Benitez gave Newcastle the opportunity to pursue Joelinton in 2019. The Magpies also gave Sport Recife their coveted No. 9 jersey. But Joelinton’s lackluster performances as a striker would never warrant the famous outfit.
Joelinton made 89 appearances when Newcastle fired Bruce 13 days after their Saudi-led takeover in October 2021. He only had 10 goals and eight assists in 66 games as a center-forward during that time. Joelinton was occasionally transferred into broader positions by Bruce.
Joelinton claims he was ‘never’ the striker the Magpies signed him to be
However, the appointment of Eddie Howe as Newcastle manager released the true Joelinton. He salvaged a career that appeared to be one of the worst transfers in Premier League history.
Joelinton was named Player of the Season at the end of the 2021/22 season.
Joelinton was moved into the Magpies’ middle by Howe, who made an inspired decision. His all-action efforts changed the game for the Brazilian throughout his tenure in black-and-white. But the foundations were already in place, as Joelinton believes he was ‘never’ the striker Newcastle desired.
“Today, I can show more of who I am than before,” Joelinton has told The Guardian. “When you’re a striker, you’re there to score goals. The media and the fans demand goals from you. I’ve never been that hungry man for goals.
“Of course, I always want to score. But if I see a teammate in a better position, I’m going to make the pass. You see the greatest strikers in the world, they don’t pass the ball. They want everything for themselves. They always want to score and I’ve never had that desire.
“When I was a kid I played in midfield. That’s what I like: playing, having fun, having the ball, dribbling. In attack, you’re isolated, you’re up front and you don’t touch the ball as much.”
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