‘Means a lot’: £40m Newcastle star is now determined to pay back fans’ support with silverware

Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton has outlined his dream of winning silverware for the club to reward loyal fans.

There is no player on the books at Newcastle who has had a more wild ride into the hearts of the Toon Army than 27-year-old Brazilian, Joelinton.

Since his arrival at Newcastle from Hoffenheim in 2019 for a then-club record fee of £40 million, Joelinton has gone from a laughing stock to a cult hero.

Joelinton's story at Newcastle will go down in legend

Joelinton was very much a club signing rather than a manager signing as the recruitment team desperately tried to push Joelinton onto Rafa Benitez, but the Spaniard remained unconvinced. However, when a deal couldn't be reached between Rafa and Mike Ashley, the former Liverpool boss departed St James' Park and Steve Bruce was brought in, and being the absolute yes man he was, put up no opposition to the Joelinton transfer.

Handed the number nine shirt and made to play up front, despite not being a striker, Joelinton bagged an early goal for the club against Tottenham and then went an eternity before netting again.

Newcastle signed Callum Wilson the following summer and as the former Bournemouth striker became the club's main source of goals, Wilson was given the number nine shirt while Joelinton was handed the number seven which had recently been vacated by Andy Carroll.

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Eddie Howe and Ciaran Clark completely changed the narrative of Joelinton

In 2021, the long-protracted Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle was finally given the green light which signalled the end of the line for Steve Bruce and Eddie Howe was brought in as his replacement.

Joelinton continued to play as a forward under Eddie Howe until that fateful day when Newcastle faced Norwich City and saw defender Ciaran Clark sent off after just eight minutes.

To plug the hole left by Clark, Eddie Howe moved Joelinton into a more defensive midfield role and a legend was born. Suddenly the striker who couldn't hit a barn door had become one of the Premier League's best box-to-box midfielders and he hasn't looked back since. He's even started adding goals back into his game.

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Joelinton wants to pay back the fans' loyalty, but we fans just want him to lift that trophy he so deserves

Now firmly a fan-favourite, Joelinton has told The Guardian that he dreams of paying back the Newcastle supporters for their loyalty by being part of the first Newcastle side to lift a trophy in decades.

“The city of Newcastle is made up of hard-working people from the north of England, as are Recife and Aliança.

I identify with them. I have a dream of winning something for Newcastle. The club hasn’t won anything for a long time. The supporters love this club very much and I’d like to be in the history as a winner here. It’s a passionate people and they supported me in my times of difficulty. That means a lot.”

There won't be many Newcastle fans who'd disagree that Joelinton absolutely deserves to lift a trophy while at the club more than most other players on the books.