The flawed logic that has left Newcastle in trouble
ing him this summer, when he was offered a lucrative contract by Benitez at Dalian Yifang, his new club.
Instead, the club spent £40million on Joelinton, who was untried in the Premier League. He had also been unwanted by Benitez, who had the final say on transfer until hiscontractexpiredattheend of June.
The club’s logic was that that was a good deal as Joelinton was 22 when he signed. And Mike Ashley, the club’s owner, felt it was such a good deal that he was willing to pay £20million of his own money towards the club-record deal.
“He (Benitez) thought the £40million for Joelinton wasn't worth it – it's too much and the club shouldn't spend it,”saidAshleyinthesummer. "So (I said) ‘here's the deal – I'll pay £20million of it personally’. And he still didn't sign it off.”
Ashley, we know, likes a gamble. And this, unquestionably, was a big gamble. Joelinton – who scored seven Bundesliga goals last season andwasscoutedbySteveNickson, the club’s head of recruitment – isn’t worth £40million right now.
“We’ll have to be patient with him, and try to protect him,” said Bruce. “There’s no doubthe’sagoodplayer.Atthe moment, he’s finding it tough, but then again, that’s what the Premier League is. It’s tough and uncompromising.”
Joelinton, now 23, cut a lonely figure when he left St James’s Park, on his own, after the Wolves game. The No9 shirt can weigh heavy on a player’s shoulders, and the pressures of leading the line while adjusting to English football are seemingly weighing him down.
Newcastle spent big the summer before they last went down in the 2015/16 season, but there was a disconnect between the players brought inbythen-chiefscoutGraham Carr, looking for young talent thatcouldbere-soldataprofit, and what then-manager Steve McClaren actually needed at St James’s Park, which was Premier League experience.
A club focused on re-sale values can lose sight of this. Is history repeating itself on Tyneside?There’sseeminglya flawedlogicatStJames’sPark. Rondonlastyear,intheviewof thehierarchy,wasabaddealat £16.5million, yet Joelinton, 12 months later, is a good deal at £40million.Doesthistakeinto account their actual value on the pitch?
Of course, every player needs a period of adjustment, and some players take longer to get used to the pace, intensity and physicality of the Premier League. Joelinton needs time, but Bruce needs goals – and performances – now. Newcastle, 17th in the league, aren’t the only team struggling in front of goal this season. But fans are already asking themselves if there are three worse teams.