Joelinton comments give Newcastle United owners the ultimate Eddie Howe sacking verdict

Joelinton has admitted he “loves” Eddie Howe while opening up about how much the manager saved his Newcastle United career.

In October 2021, the Magpies and Joelinton were staring into the abyss. Zero wins in the Premier League made relegation an apparent inevitability and the Brazilian was regarded as the club’s worst-ever signing.

Joelinton was a £40million laughing stock and there was talk about him heading to Turkey in the January transfer window. Out of nowhere, the Saudi-backed takeover was approved, with Newcastle’s - and Joelinton’s - fortunes changing forever.

Howe would soon be appointed and the 27-year-old was converted from a goal-shy striker to a midfield powerhouse. He has since become one of the Premier League’s best operators and built a unique rapport with the Toon faithful.

Speaking after signing a bumper four-year contract extension, Joelinton hailed Howe for the impact he had on his carrer. He told NUFC TV: “He’s (Howe) a great man. I love him as a person and a coach. Since day one, he helped me a lot. He gave me the confidence to play and believed in myself. When I step on the pitch, I want to give back to him.

“I feel great. I feel very happy and my family is happy. A lot of things have happened in my years here. I've learnt a lot and grown a lot, and for me to come here to Newcastle was the best decision of my career.

"I love playing for the club. I love the club, I love the fans. We had a lot of discussions and I always wanted to be here. I'm glad to continue and I hope to have success in the years to come.”