From failed striker to box-to-box master - marking one year of Joelinton’s revival at Newcastle United

When Ciaran Clark was dismissed with less than ten minutes into a relegation six-pointer with Norwich City, fans were rightly fearing the worst. Newcastle were still winless, were yet to see a ‘bounce’ from Eddie Howe’s appointment and were staring down the barrel of a defeat to one of their nearest league rivals.

Defeat on that night in November would have raised the volume of the already deafening alarm bells, but Newcastle were able to grab a point - one that could have so easily been three had it not been for Teemu Pukki’s late stunner. That night was a glimpse into this team’s resilience under Howe, one that would stand them in great stead as they moved into the new year.

We also got to see the rebirth of Joelinton that night - and even a year on, his transformation still doesn’t seem believable. Born out of necessity, the Brazilian was pushed back into midfield against Norwich as Ryan Fraser became the unfortunate casualty as Howe reshuffled his pack.

What started as a tireless and dogged performance in a crucial game at the bottom of the table has turned into a succession of stunning performances that has made Joelinton an integral part of Howe’s current set-up. It took almost a month for the Brazilian to get the credit for his performances, but following a dominant display against Manchester United at the end of December 2021, everyone began to sit up and take note.

In a game now famed for Sean Longstaff’s post-match interview where he described Joelinton as one of the best players on the training pitch, the Brazilian has never looked back. He was a constant in Newcastle’s fantastic end to last season and someone that Howe could rely on game, after game, after game.

Even this year, where quality players have been brought in around him and his role has shifted slightly, Joelinton continues to impress. The last few games have seen Joelinton operate as both a midfielder and on the left-wing, interchanging seamlessly with Joe Willock in those roles.

It speaks of a man playing with such confidence that he can shift between two very different roles and yet still put in supreme displays when required. Even when asked to deputise at striker, a role that could have been the end of his career on Tyneside had he persisted with it for much longer, he bagged two goals in the return fixture against Norwich and rightly had his name sang by the adoring Magpies fans that made the trip to Norfolk.

£40million unbelievably looks like a steal for the Joelinton we’re currently seeing grace the St James’s Park turf on a regular basis. Ultimately, Joelinton missed out on a call-up to the Brazil squad for the World Cup, however, just having his name in the conversation is a testament to his transformation over the last year and one that fans will be hoping can continue into the future under Howe.