Newcastle has benefited from the midfielder’s arrival in a number of ways.
Newcastle United and their fan base have experienced a tumultuous ride of emotions in the past couple of seasons, marked by numerous highs and lows.
The liberation from the ownership of Mike Ashley was a significant high, bringing a sense of relief and renewed hope. The appointment of Eddie Howe as the manager added another optimistic chapter, promising positive changes for the club. However, the journey took an unexpected turn as Newcastle was eliminated from the Champions League group stages, delivering a low that few other fan bases can claim to have endured. The roller-coaster nature of their recent experiences has undoubtedly left Newcastle supporters with a unique and challenging set of emotions.
| Newcastle’s highest-paid players: 2023/24 | |
|---|---|
| Player | Salary (per week) |
| #1 Bruno Guimaraes | £160k |
| #2 Kieran Trippier | £120k |
| #3 Alexander Isak | £120k |
| #4 Matt Targett | £100k |
| #5 Sven Botman | £90k |
| #6 Joelinton | £85k |
How Joelinton has developed under Howe
Before Eddie Howe assumed the managerial role at Newcastle, Joelinton appeared to struggle in meeting the expectations associated with his hefty price tag, a then-club record fee of £40 million.
Under the management of Steve Bruce, Joelinton was initially deployed as a striker, but he struggled to showcase a prolific goal-scoring ability. Encountering difficulties against opposing defenders, he managed to score only four goals in 44 appearances during his challenging debut campaign at St James’ Park. The perceived inability to live up to the substantial investment in him raised concerns about his effectiveness in the team.
Joelinton’s challenges were further compounded by his perceived lack of pace, creating an impression that, despite being only 22 years old, Newcastle’s club-record signing was destined to be another disappointment under the previous ownership of Mike Ashley.
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Yet, with the arrival of Eddie Howe, the English manager identified a potential in Joelinton that other coaches had not fully recognized. Howe saw the possibility of transforming him into a box-to-box midfielder, leveraging his unique set of abilities in a different position on the field.
| Joelinton: Newcastle career by season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Games | Goals | Assists |
| 2019/20 | 44 | 4 | 2 |
| 2020/21 | 36 | 6 | 3 |
| 2021/22 | 37 | 4 | 1 |
| 2022/23 | 40 | 8 | 3 |
| 2023/24 | 23 | 3 | 4 |
| Stats via Transfermarkt. | |||
Joelinton’s career trajectory was altered by this discovery, and Howe was able to make him into one of the best midfield players in the Premier League of England. According to FBref, he is in the top 18% for tackles won per 90 and among the top 3% of midfielders in the Premier League for long pass success in 2023–2024. These statistics provide insight into his skill set.
When discussing his metamorphosis, Howe stated the following:
“His technical skill set helps us as we move deeper into the pitch. With very little guidance, he nailed the midfield position and performed it to perfection. I think it’s fantastic to see players with that kind of adaptability. Joe has been amazing for me ever since we arrived. We think he’s great. He possesses good technical ability and physicality.”
A player will naturally become more confident and driven to succeed when they hear words of encouragement like this from their boss.
It follows that the fact that the Brazil international is currently valued higher than summer acquisition Sandro Tonali is hardly shocking.
Joelinton’s transfer valuation in 2024
Joelinton’s current value has increased from the €60 million (£51 million) initial fee paid to Hoffenheim in 2019 by little over £10 million. Comparatively speaking, he is more valuable than their most recent addition from Italy, Tonali, who is valued at £43 million by CIES Football Observatory.
This illustrates how well Joelinton has matured and how much of an impact he now has on the team, even though it is probably mostly because of the limited number of games Tonali has played this season.
| Newcastle’s highest-valued players | |
|---|---|
| Player | Valuation |
| #1 Bruno Guimaraes | £85m |
| #2 Alex Isak | £85m |
| #3 Joelinton | £51m |
| #4 Anthony Gordon | £51m |
| #5 Sandro Tonali | £43m |
Howe’s club would suffer a severe loss if the Brazilian midfielder—who Julian Nagelsmann called a “animal”—were to depart in the summer. Howe does in fact believe that he could go.
It might, however, be something that must be disregarded because the team must comply with FFP rules in order to avoid losing points or worse.
It will be intriguing to see if Newcastle has a team as good as what they have today, capable of contending for European spots, next season.