‘What a character’ - The Newcastle United player that ‘stood out’ during Dubai trip

You don’t have to tell any Newcastle United fan twice about Joelinton’s incredible impact on the pitch.

And behind the scenes, the Brazilian is proving just as popular... just ask Callum Wilson.

Wilson, currently sidelined with a calf injury, travelled to Dubai as Eddie Howe’s side embarked on their second warm-weather training camp of the year.

While the 30-year-old was restricted to light training, the trip afforded him to spend plenty of time in the company of his Magpies teammates.

Indeed, the trip was discussed with fellow Footballer’s Football Podcaster and West Ham striker Michail Antonio.

And he asked Wilson if they were any Newcastle players whom he had seen a different side to. Yep, you guessed it, Joelinton...

Wilson explained: “When you’re in the club environment day-to-day, everyone is on a different timescale so you’re not actually all in one place at the same time even though you’re in the same building.

“Out here (in Dubai), when you’re all just around the pool, you do see that different side to them and their character.

“Joelinton is definitely somebody who you see him around the place, his English is fairly good but when you get him around an environment where you’re around the pool, having a laugh and a bit of banter... what a guy, what a character.

“It’s made me like him even more as a person and as a player. He’s definitely somebody who has stood out for me since we’ve been out here as a team. I’ve enjoyed his company.”

Newcastle spent a week at Dubai’s Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex before rounding off the trip with a 5-0 win over Gulf United, where Allan Saint-Maximin and Dwight Gayle scored braces. Joelinton was also on the scoresheet.

Wilson added: “We’ve just been going out together as a team for meals, spending the day around the pool together.

“You see the lads in a different environment, different light and to be honest, you can see another side to their personality.

“It’s such a good group of lads. I’m probably not the only person that would say that.

“When you actually get them out of the football environment and around the pool for example, you see different sides to them, which is nice.”