Joelinton has revealed that he wants to stay at Newcastle United for many years to come after undergoing a remarkable transformation under Eddie Howe.
The Brazilian has played every minute for Newcastle in the Premier League this term and has established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet.
His current situation is a far cry from the one in which he found himself when Howe succeeded Steve Bruce in November 2021. Joelinton had joined Newcastle from Hoffenheim for £40million during Bruce's first transfer window at the helm in the summer of 2019.
He was tasked with filling the void left by Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez but his dismal return of four goals in his debut campaign left supporters unimpressed. The heavy criticism understandably continued into the following season until Howe's masterful decision to deploy him in the heart of midfield heralded surprisingly brilliant results.
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"It is a great happiness after two very difficult years, in which I didn't have the support of the fans like I have today," Joelinton told the Gringolandia podcast.
"I know it's fans, football is passion and emotion and when you are a striker who came to score goals but isn't scoring, then criticism will come. It is normal. However, we feel sad for not helping on the pitch, not scoring the goals we want to score.
"But today I'm happy for the support from the fans, the affection they show me every game, on a daily basis on the street and on social media. I hope to continue here for many years to come."
It's been seven years since Joelinton arrived in Europe from Sport Recife in his native Brazil. The 26-year-old has credited his resilience for not returning to Brazil during his difficult periods and has ambitious goals for his next chapter in Newcastle.
"We know that even with money, with new owners, it's not something that will happen overnight. We know that there are many teams that are [currently] ahead of us," Joelinton.
He added: "We have been doing a good job, the club is giving its full support, the fans too. Of course we have the desire to win a title but we know it's not going to happen fast.
"We've been evolving, we hope to do well in cups, fight for a spot in international competition. People are capable and I hope that in two, three years time we can win titles for our fans because they deserve it."
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