It did not take Eddie Howe long. The Newcastle United head coach knew after just a few days in charge that Joelinton was going to be a 'huge player' for him, but never in a million years did he imagine the Brazilian would end up in the middle of the park.
However, that all changed little more than a year ago when defender Ciaran Clark was sent off after just nine minutes in Newcastle's crucial relegation clash against Norwich City. That was the night that Howe saw a different side to Joelinton at St James' Park after the 26-year-old dropped into midfield.
What has played out over the last 12 months has been nothing short of astounding and has rightly seen Joelinton nominated for Newcastle United fans’ footballer of the year award. A player once derided as a £40m flop, who had struggled to find a role in this side under the previous manager, has been reborn as a combative destroyer.
