Report: Joelinton could be rewarded for his incredible Newcastle United form

Add as preferred source on Google

Joelinton is enjoying an incredibly rich vein of form in a Newcastle United shirt, and it could earn him international recognition.

According to the Daily Mail, the 26-year-old is in contention to receive his first ever callup to the Brazil team.

He has never represented his country at senior level, but did play for the Under-17 side back when he was a teenager.

There was hope that he might be selected for the World Cup squad late last year alongside Bruno Guimaraes, but that dream did not become a reality.

Despite his excellent form as a midfielder, Joelinton was ignored by Tite, whose side crashed out at the quarter final stage to Croatia.

Now Brazil are looking for a new manager, and are yet to name Tite’s replacement. They face two friendlies in March, and the Daily Mail believe that Joelinton has been ‘identified’ as a player who could come in for the Selecao’s ‘new cycle’.

Joelinton deserves Brazil call for his Newcastle performances

From a Toon perspective, it felt like Joelinton was unlucky to miss out on Brazil’s 26-man World Cup squad. But he has responded in emphatic fashion.

The £40million man has been immense since domestic football returned, and has been a real difference maker in the final third.

In Newcastle’s first game back at Leicester he won a penalty that Chris Wood converted before scoring himself. Then he was decisive against the Foxes again weeks later in the Carabao Cup.

He scored and provided an assist, as Newcastle advanced to the semi finals. But Joelinton wasn’t finished there, as he scored the only goal in the first leg win over Southampton.

It hasn’t just been about goals and assists though. Joelinton has continued to be a dominant enforcer in black and white, and was outstanding in the 0-0 draw with Premier League leaders Arsenal. Eddie Howe loved his performance that night, and described him as an ‘incredible athlete‘.

And he has done all this whilst interchanging from centre-midfield to left wing. He has shown incredible versatility in recent weeks, and is one of Newcastle’s most reliable performers.

The Magpies’ number seven will need to step up even more in the coming weeks, with Bruno suspended for the next three games.

If Joelinton can continue to perform well without his fellow countryman alongside him, it might be impossible for Brazil to ignore the man who only cost £40million.