Newcastle United are close to finalizing a new contract for Brazil international Joelinton after a series of positive meetings with the player and his representatives.
The expected extension announcement will be a huge boost for manager Eddie Howe and the Newcastle board, who had successfully concluded these problematic contract talks, their main priority before the end of the season.
Replacing Joelinton in midfield would be a huge challenge and Howe has consistently stressed that the club had to fight to keep him.
Although an overview of recruitment needs had been drawn up ahead of the summer transfer window, nothing could be turned into a shortlist before they knew if they could retain one of their big names.
Joelinton, who has become an integral part of Howe’s plans as a box-to-box enforcer in midfield, has just 15 months left on his existing contract and will be made available for transfer in the summer if he does not agree an extension .
Despite an initially gloomy assessment of the chances of retaining the 27-year-old at the start of the year, Telegraph Sports We’re told that behind-the-scenes discussions are well underway and have been moving in a positive direction for several weeks.
Multiple sources have now said that it appears the player will remain on Tyneside, although final details have yet to be worked out.
Joelinton will be one of the club’s top earners, alongside compatriot Bruno Guimaraes, and is expected to commit to the club for the next four years.
The talks were largely led by chief scout Steve Nickson, who was integral to the signing of Joelinton from German club Hoffenheim for £40 million in 2019.
Newcastle have still not appointed a new sporting director following the departure of Dan Ashworth in February, forcing others to step into unfamiliar roles.
Nickson’s positive relationship with the player and his representatives made him the obvious candidate to work out terms, although CEO Darren Eales and co-owner Amanda Staveley were also heavily involved.
As revealed by Telegraph Sports Last month, Joelinton, who is making good progress in his recovery from a groin injury and should return to play in early May, had expressed his desire to stay at Newcastle but the terms of the deal had to be right.
That has moved the talks forward and as long as there are no late issues, the new contract will be signed later this month.
Why Joelinton’s new contract is a huge boost for Newcastle
There have not been many more remarkable transformations of a player’s fortunes in the Premier League era than Joelinton Cassio Apolinario de Lira.
A goal-scoring striker once described as one of a top club’s worst signings is now so important to Howe that he begged the Newcastle board to agree a new contract earlier this year.
Those talks are close to a successful conclusion, with Joelinton set to join Newcastle’s top earners on a new four- or five-year contract.
It will be a cause for celebration on Tyneside, with Joelinton now rightly regarded as one of the North East club’s big names, who would have left a gaping hole in midfield if he left this summer.
Telegraph Sports looks at why Joelinton became so important and how he became a club legend instead of a laughing stock.
A reinvention by accident
Joelinton was not signed by any manager at Newcastle. He had been recommended to Rafael Benitez in his final season in the dugout, but the Spaniard was unimpressed and resisted attempts by owner Mike Ashley and CEO Lee Charnley to sign the deal. It was chief scout Steve Nickson who thought he could thrive in the Premier League.
When Benitez left in the summer of 2019, Newcastle signed him anyway, just weeks before Steve Bruce was appointed as manager.
Not many people know that before Bruce was offered the job in August 2019, Newcastle had spoken to Mikel Arteta about replacing his compatriot. Informal discussions took place, but Arteta sensibly decided that this was not the right club for him. He took over at Arsenal in December of that year. However, sources have said so Telegraph Sports that Arteta approved Joelinton’s signing when it came up during those talks.
It is not known whether that had any influence on the decision to pay the then club record amount to Hoffenheim, but Joelinton was not suitable as a striker in the Premier League. The club’s iconic number 9 shirt weighed heavily on his shoulders and despite his initial encouragement, fans began to turn away when he failed to score the goals expected of such an expensive signing.
The Brazilian scored just four goals (two of which came against Rochdale and Oxford in the FA Cup) in 44 games in his first season at St James’ Park and six in 36 games in his second season.
He became the punch line to an endless series of jokes, but Bruce loved his determination and personality, despite his struggles in front of goal. That affection was repeated when Howe arrived in November 2021.
Nevertheless, Joelinton’s metamorphosis into a rampaging midfielder was discovered almost by accident. Howe was impressed with his technical quality and his physicality on the training pitch, but admits he had no idea how good he would be in a deeper position.
He started to find out when, reduced to 10 men against Norwich City after Ciaran Clark’s red card, he was forced to drop Joelinton back into midfield at the end of his first month in the dugout. He was fantastic, Newcastle rescued a point in a crucial relegation game and never looked back. The 27-year-old played a starring role last season as they unexpectedly qualified for the Champions League – splitting and also launching attacks – and again this season before suffering a groin injury in January that will keep him out until the end of this season . month.
What does the new contract say about Newcastle United’s ambition?
There will still be unpopular decisions to sell players in the future as the club looks to meet the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules, but the thought of losing Joelinton was difficult to stomach. He is a cult hero on Tyneside and is adored by fans, teammates and coaching staff.
He is also absolutely essential to the way Howe wants his team to play. Joelinton is not only physically dominant – he acts as Newcastle’s enforcer in midfield – he can also receive the ball in tight spaces and ensure the team retains possession. He is also naturally inclined to move forward, putting Newcastle on the front foot and never stopping the run.
At times he has looked as good as any box-to-box midfielder in the Premier League. Newcastle have missed him terribly during his injury and he makes the likes of Sean Longstaff and Joe Willock look like better players when he is next to them.
He can also play in different positions, mainly wide on the left in attack, but also through the middle in case of emergency. It would have cost Newcastle a fortune to replace him and divert money away from other parts of the squad that need to be strengthened this summer.
But to keep their best players, Newcastle must not only be able to pay them the wages they can demand elsewhere, but also convince them that they can achieve their ambitions. Despite fears Joelinton was planning to run out of contract and force a move early this year, Newcastle appear to have managed to convince him not to do so. Not only does it keep track of one of Howe’s blue chip brigade, but it also sends a message to other star names.
Joelinton has become as important to Newcastle as his compatriot Bruno Guimaraes and his decision to extend his contract also increases the chance that his good friend will remain on Tyneside for at least another season. In turn, it sends a strong message to the likes of Anthony Gordon, Sven Botman and Alexander Isak, as well as the players Newcastle are looking to recruit this summer.
Newcastle may eventually have to sell players, but they don’t have to lose their best players against their will and that bodes well for the future.