Signed by Bruce, now worth more than Tonali: Newcastle struck gold on £85k-p/w

Although, since their takeover, many signings have been made in order to turn their fortunes around, some players who arrived at the club before the PIF came in still remain at the club.

Players such as Callum Wilson, Joe Willock and Joelinton all still ply their trade on Tyneside. Willock, however, hasn’t made as many appearances as he would’ve likely liked to have done this season due to the injuries he has sustained, but, he is still a solid backup option for the regular starters.

Both Wilson and Joelinton still play vital roles in Howe’s system and have both staked their claims for starting spots within the squad.

With the Brazil international being particularly pivotal to the way Howe lines his squad up. This is fortunate for the Magpies as the midfielder is among the highest-paid players at the club with his wage reportedly coming in at around £85k-per-week.

How Joelinton has developed under Howe

Before the former Bournemouth manager took over at Newcastle, Joelinton was seemingly failing to live up to his pricetag of a then club record fee of £40m.

Initially used as a striker whilst managed by Steve Bruce, the Brazil international didn’t seem to have too keen of an eye for goal and was often stopped by defenders each time he attacked, scoring just four goals in 44 outings during a dismal debut campaign at St James’ Park.

His lack of pace also didn’t help his chances, which made it seem that, despite being just 22-years-old, the Magpies’ club-record signing was set to be yet another dud chosen by Ashley.

However, after the arrival of Howe, the England manager saw something in him which his other coaches seemingly hadn’t yet. That was the fact that he could use his abilities to become a box-box-midfielder.

This revelation changed the projection of Joelinton’s career and Howe managed to turn him into one of the best midfielders in England’s top flight. Indeed, in 2023/24 he ranks among the best 3% of midfielders in the Premier League for long pass success and the best 18% for tackles won per 90, as per FBref, numbers that illuminate his skillset.

Speaking about his transformation, Howe said the following:

“He has a technical ability that suits us going deeper into the pitch. He took to that midfield role with minimal instructions and delivered it absolutely brilliantly. That’s a great sign for me to see players with that adaptable quality. Joe has been fantastic for me since we came in. We really like him. He’s got good physicality and technical ability.”

Receiving this sort of praise from your manager can only give a player confidence and the motivation to succeed.

So, it’s no real surprise that the Brazil international is now worth more than summer signing, Sandro Tonali.

Joelinton’s transfer valuation in 2024

Joelinton is now worth €60m (£51m), an increase of just over £10m from that initial fee that was paid to Hoffenheim in 2019. In comparison, he is worth more than their recent acquisition from Italy, with Tonali boasting a £43m valuation, as per CIES Football Observatory.

Although this is likely largely due to the lack of games Tonali has played this season, it showcases how well Joelinton has developed and how much of an impact he now has on the squad.

Described as an “animal” by Julian Nagelsmann, the loss of the Brazilian midfielder in the summer would be a massive blow to Howe’s team. Indeed, his exit is a real possibility according to Howe.

However, it may be something that can’t be ignored as the side need to meet FFP regulations, or they will face either a points deduction or worse.

It will be interesting to see whether or not, next season, Newcastle will have a team as strong as what they have now that is able to challenge for the European places.