There’s no doubt that Joelinton is Newcastle United’s most improved player this season. This career renaissance came about when Eddie Howe arrived back in November.
When Joelinton arrived back in 2019 for £40 million (BBC Sport) he really struggled. He mostly played as a striker and occasionally played out wide or just behind the forward.
But now Joelinton has found his calling in centre-midfield. Alongside Jonjo Shelvey and Joe Willock, the 25-year-old has played a huge role in Newcastle’s surge up the Premier League table.
Joelinton has formed a good relationship with Howe, his performances show that
Speaking to iNews, the Brazilian talked about the impact that Howe has had since he joined the club. He also spoke about his relationship with the Newcastle manager.
“Since he came here he’s got the respect of every player here because he works so hard. He wants us all to get better and for me, he’s a great man and a great coach,” Joelinton told iNews.
“He pushes us a lot and that’s very important. I think it’s important the way we train – if you train hard, you’re going to play hard. Since he came here we work really hard in training and that’s important.
“We have a good relationship. The intensity, the passion he brings to job – it’s what we want.”
When he first arrived, the Newcastle boss praised what he had seen of Joelinton in training. He hinted at having plans for him and he stuck to that promise.
Furthermore, the man from Brazil has been a total revelation in midfield. He was excellent against Manchester United last December and netted the opening goal in a 2-0 win over Brentford.
The 25-year-old is an example of how Howe has improved the original batch of Toon players
Whilst they were able to bring in five new players in January, the Magpies boss has gotten the best out of the players that were already there.
It’s truly amazing how he was able to identify the qualities of Joelinton as a midfielder. Some fans would’ve never thought of him as being capable of playing there. If anything he’s much better in that position and could occupy a role there for years to come.
We’ve also seen the likes of Jonjo Shelvey, Joe Willock and Ryan Fraser all shine too. Those three struggled this season for Newcastle. But clearly Howe has instilled a lot of belief into them which has helped them turn their form right around.
Joelinton in particular has become a real fan favourite. Some fans who travelled to the away game at West Ham wore Hawaiian shirts with his face printed on them. In addition, he now has his own chant dedicated to him.
Now that £40million price tag is certainly looking more fitting. While no one expected that he would become a dominant midfielder, it’s so satisfying to see Joelinton turn his Toon career around.
Receive a digest of our best Newcastle content each week direct to your mailbox
