Joelinton could fill attacking void at Newcastle in 2019/20

Newcastle United have smashed their transfer record to secure the signing of Joelinton (£6.0m) from Hoffenheim for a reported £40m fee. 

The Brazilian forward, 22, arrives on Tyneside amidst a period of considerable upheaval for the Magpies, with the recent departure of former manager Rafael Benitez alongside last season’s top-scorer Ayoze Perez’s (£6.5m) move to Leicester City and the transfer of Salomon Rondon to Benitez’s new club, Dalian Yifang. 

Having scored 11 goals in 35 games for Hoffenheim in 2018/19, Newcastle will be hoping that the former Brazil Under-17 international can translate his promising form into the club’s upcoming Premier League campaign, with their first test coming against Arsenal on August 10th. 

Priced at £6.0m in Fantasy Premier League, Joelinton joins a growing list of similarly priced strikers whose credentials will come under further scrutiny in the opening Gameweeks, as managers seek to identify the best value-for-money forwards in the initial stages of the 2019/20 campaign. 

The striker’s arrival at St James’ Park coincides with the recent appointment of Steve Bruce as manager, and the veteran coach will be hoping that the 22-year-old can provide goalscoring impetus to a team that is almost certainly set to be involved in a relegation dogfight for their Premier League status in the upcoming campaign. 

Upon signing for Newcastle, Joelinton said: 

“I know it’s a big club, with massive history here in England and around the world. I’ve followed the Premier League from Brazil since I was little and know about the huge tradition of the club and how passionate the fans are. I’m passionate about the game. I bring a lot of emotion on to the pitch. I’ll never being lacking in desire and dedication. I like playing football and like to enjoy myself on the pitch. I hope to have a great career here. As I said before I’m really happy and hope to bring a lot of joy to the fans and everybody involved with the football club.”

Steve Bruce also spoke enthusiastically after Joelinton’s arrival was confirmed: 

“The kid’s got an exciting time ahead of him. He’s a smashing young player and we’re obviously delighted to get him. It’s been going on for a little bit now, so to get him is great for everybody. He’s got everything that a modern-day player wants. He’s big, strong and athletic, and of course, he’s got age on his side too which is vitally important. He’s learned the history and wanted it (the number nine shirt), and that’s always a big shirt to fill. But in his eyes, it was ‘bring it on – it’s what I’m here for’. He’s risen to that challenge, and I’m sure he will be a big, big favourite of the supporters. He’s got an incredible work-rate about him, he’s got a really good humility about him, and all the attributes a top striker needs.”

The History and Statistics 

For any 22-year-old striker to command a £40m fee, they are likely to be a player with considerable promise and potential. Joelinton is no exception in this regard, yet the Brazilian has experienced a rapid rise from the realms of South America to Europe’s most competitive leagues in just five seasons.

Having progressed through the ranks at his boyhood club Sport Recife in Brazil, Joelinton was given his debut at the age of 17, coming on as a substitute in a 2-1 away win against city rivals Santa Cruz. 

The striker made a total of 12 senior appearances for Sport Recife, scoring on three occasions, but this was enough for Hoffenheim to make their move as the Bundesliga outfit secured the Brazilian’s signature in 2015 on a five-year contract. 

Joelinton’s initial spell in Germany was disappointing for the forward, as he made just one appearance for the club as a last-minute substitute in the 2015/16 campaign. This led to Hoffenheim sanctioning a loan move to Austrian Bundesliga outfit Rapid Wien, who Joelinton joined on a two-year loan at the start of the 2015/16 season. 

The Brazilian was finally given his opportunity in Europe and gradually began to find his feet. Across 60 appearances for Rapid Wien, Joelinton scored on 15 occasions as well as playing in all 10 of the club’s Europa League matches in the 2016/17 season. He returned to Hoffenheim following the expiration of his loan deal in Austria, and began life back in Germany in emphatic fashion. 

After being given his first start in a DFB-Pokal cup match at 1. FC Kaiserslautern, Joelinton scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 victory and proceeded to feature prominently for Hoffenheim throughout the 2018/19 campaign, including scoring a last-minute equaliser in a Champions League group game against Lyon. 

After finishing the season with 11 goals in 35 games, it is Newcastle United who have made their move to sign this exciting, attacking prospect who arrives in the Premier League with a point to prove to those who may doubt the large fee he has commanded. 

Whilst the club’s record signing of Joelinton is largely influenced by the club’s sale of last season’s top-scorer Ayoze Perez for a reported £30m, owner Mike Ashley has moved to fill a goalscoring void left by him, and there is every chance that this Brazilian forward could shine for the Magpies if he is capable of replicating his promising form in the Premier League. 

Comparisons

The Prospects

Joelinton’s arrival on Tyneside will inevitably be met with a sense of scepticism given the Brazilian’s £40m price-tag, but his underlying statistics suggest this could be a player capable of scoring goals in England’s top flight.

The 22-year-old ranked top for average minutes per shot compared to five of Newcastle’s main attacking assets from 2018/19, whilst also having a superior average minutes per shot on target. 

Newcastle’s other attacking outlets such as Miguel Almiron (£6.0m) and Christian Atsu (£5.5m) experienced difficult seasons in 2018/19, and there is certainly scope for Joelinton to provide impetus and inspiration to this squad who, at times, seemed deflated and devoid of confidence in Benitez’s final season in charge at the club. 

Given the departure of Perez to Leicester City and the 12 Premier League goals scored by the Spaniard, expectation will naturally gravitate towards Joelinton to fill this goalscoring void vacated by Perez, especially given the departure of Rondon to China too

The Brazilian also ranks highly for minutes per key pass, second to only Jonjo Shelvey (£5.0m) who is not a direct striker but represents a part of Newcastle’s attacking options, outlining how the forward could contribute to the Magpies’ goalscoring efforts with the addition of assists, suggesting the ability to secure a spread of Fantasy points in 2019/20. 

The recently departed Rondon was a huge asset for Newcastle in Benitez’s final season in charge, and it is no surprise that the Spaniard has taken the forward with him to China. The Venezuelan’s exceptional average minutes per shot in the box is something that no Newcastle forward or Joelinton came close to matching in 2018/19, suggesting that there is certainly room for the Magpies’ new signing to improve.

The usual caveat applies that these figures for Joelinton were recorded in the Bundesliga, so it is, of course, possible that he may take some time to adapt.

This pressure and the wider context in which Joelinton’s arrival on Tyneside can be placed is pivotal in assessing if the Brazilian will shine or falter for Bruce and Newcastle. After departing his native Brazil for the first time and arriving in Germany, Hoffenheim did not deem the striker to be capable of contributing to their Bundesliga campaign. 

Whether this was the initial plan or a judgement made on the basis of the Brazilian’s adaptation to life in Germany is unclear, but arriving in a new country to play in a new domestic league yet again comes with a period of adaptation, and on the basis of Joelinton’s track-record it is unclear if the 22-year-old will excel for the Magpies in 2019/20 or not. 

Furthermore, Newcastle’s opening fixtures are once again some of the most difficult for any team in the division. 

The opening day sees Arsenal travel to St James’ Park, followed by away trips to Tottenham and Liverpool within the next four Gameweeks. There are appealing games against Norwich (away) and Watford (home) sandwiched in-between, but for any Fantasy manager to back a club such as Newcastle amidst a period of such instability both on and off the field, the fixtures would have to be exceptional. 

The Magpies’ opening nine games see them take on five of last year’s top-six, and this simply represents a huge red-flag for any manager thinking of backing and selecting Newcastle’s assets. 

Joelinton certainly has the potential to be one of 2019/20’s biggest surprise packages in the Premier League given promising underlying data, but with a transition from Germany to England, a £40m price-tag and his arrival at a club who are stuck amidst a turbulent battle of ownership off the field, and with recruitment problems on it, the Brazilian firmly falls in the category of ‘one-to-watch’ owing to Newcastle’s extremely unattractive fixtures at the start of the 2019/20 Premier League campaign.