In a recent print edition, Turkish news outlet Türkiye has mentioned that Newcastle United striker Joelinton is gathering interest from Turkey as Fenerbahce are eyeing a move for him in the coming days. It is understood that the Turkish club could table a loan offer for the Magpies flop, but it would be hard for them to pull off such a deal (transcripted and translated by Sport Witness).
Joelinton’s Lacklustre Spell At St. James’ Park
It seems like the Brazilian forward has lost his first-team privileges to Andy Carroll and new signing Callum Wilson after Steve Bruce chose to use him off the bench in the 2-0 win over West Ham United on Saturday. It is no surprise considering Joelinton’s disappointing and underwhelming debut season as he banged in just four goals and picked up four assists in 44 appearances for the Tyneside outfit in multiple competitions.
The 24-year-old ended the previous campaign with an average of 0.9 tackles, 0.8 clearances, 1.3 shots, 0.8 key passes and 1.1 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League. The Alianca-born marksman was even sloppy with his ball-distribution after making only 76.7% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored). His stats have a lot of room for improvement, but the lack of first-team starts this season could harm his long-term growth as a centre-forward.
Therefore, Joelinton could benefit from a switch to Turkey as it will allow him to make a fresh start in search of greener pastures. However, the Magpies cannot afford to let him go unless they bring in another striker before the transfer deadline next month.
What Does The Brazilian Attacker Offer On The Pitch?
Joelinton has the strength to hold the ball up and get others involved in and around the opponent’s penalty box. He also packs a lot of power with his strikes but has not scored enough goals for the Magpies over the past year. The Brazilian striker also works hard by running the channels and can track back to help his teammates out at the back as well. However, there is no hiding from the fact that he has only scored two goals in the Premier League thus far.
Should The Magpies Sanction Joelinton’s Exit?
Bruce will not have a dilemma in his hands of whether to keep Joelinton as a squad player or send him out on loan during this ongoing transfer window with the hope that he can come back as a better version of himself next summer.
Either way, Newcastle should consider keeping his name in the club’s books for at least another season before deciding on whether to cash in on him permanently at the end of this campaign. At 24, Joelinton is only going to get better with each season if he is given enough time to turn his career around at St. James’ Park in the coming years. With all things considered, Bruce would be better of keeping him at the club for another year as he could potentially start contributing off the bench and gradually earn a place back in the Newcastle first-team over the next few months.
