Newcastle United lost several of its most influential players during a transformative summer, leaving Matthias Jaissle determined to prevent further erosion of the experience remaining in his squad ahead of the transfer deadline on Sept. 1.
That stance seems to be firm when it comes to veteran midfielder Joelinton. According to TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey, Newcastle has no intention of selling the Brazilian despite continued Saudi Pro League interest and earlier discussions between his representatives
and clubs in the Middle East.
“Newcastle’s position is now clear: Joelinton is not available for transfer, and even continued interest from Saudi Arabia is not expected to change the club’s stance,” Bailey reported.
That represents a notable development from earlier in the summer, when Newcastle was reportedly prepared to consider its options regarding the 30-year-old amid Saudi interest and the player’s own desire to leave for that particular nation.
According to Bailey, the sales of Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali ultimately changed Newcastle’s calculation. The Magpies didn’t want to weaken their midfield further, and Jaissle now considers Joelinton an essential part of his plans, even though he’s been sidelined to start the season.
However, Bailey reported that Joelinton’s representatives indeed held talks as Saudi clubs explored a potential move this summer, with Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr among those linked. The Saudi transfer market remains open beyond the European deadline, potentially allowing another approach to arrive, or a future approach to snatch the Brazilian from Tyneside.
Newcastle’s no-sale position with Joelinton is similar to those the club is mainting with Joe Willock and Jacob Murphy. Newcastle rejected offers worth a combined £32 million (€37 million) for the pair during the closing stages of the English window after the head coach decided maintaining squad depth was more important than bagging a few millions.
Is Newcastle right to completely close the door on a Joelinton sale regardless of the size of any Saudi offer? Let us know in the comments below.
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