Newcastle United open contract talks with player ‘worth his weight in gold’

Newcastle United have opened contracts with Joelinton that would extend his stay at the club beyond 2025.

According to reports, the Magpies want to extend the Brazilian’s contract to make him a permanent fixture in the club’s future.

Joelinton had a rocky start at United, joining the club as a striker for a record fee of £40 million in 2019. After scoring his first goal against Spurs in the August, it took him until January to score his second.

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It wasn’t until the 20/21 season he started to flourish, after moving to midfield under new manager Eddie Howe. The change saw him win Newcastle United Player of the Year award for the 20/21 season. Last month, he earned his first senior Brazil call-up for their friendlies against Guinea and Senegal.

When asked about the player’s transformation, Eddie Howe said: “I’m struggling to rack my brains to think of a transformation like it. But I’m so pleased for him and he deserves all the credit because he’s really driven, motivated, keen to listen, learn, improve.

“He’s never happy. He’s one of the players who’s last off the training pitch every day, he’s really committed to his profession and I love to see people with all those characteristics then do well and succeed.”

“He’s invaluable. Players that can play in different positions, not just play them but play them effectively, they’re worth their weight in gold,” Howe concluded.

Sky Sports in Germany reported United want to reward the 26-year-old with an extended contract, however talks are still in their early stages.