Newcastle United favourite linked with shock January transfer exit - Saudi Pro League clubs interested
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Newcastle United latest news: Joelinton has been linked with a shock move away from St James’ Park.
Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton has been linked with a surprise move away from Tyneside during the January transfer window.
The Brazilian has had to deal with injury issues of late, including a groin injury that saw him remain an unused substitute during their games against Sunderland, Fulham in the Carabao Cup and Chelsea in the Premier League. Following their win over the Cottagers, Eddie Howe revealed that he would use Joelinton only in ‘emergency circumstances’.
Despite not being a regular starter of late, though, Joelinton remains a crucial part of Howe’s squad and his versatility and physicality means that he can, and often does, play a variety of roles in the team. He has also become a firm fan favourite on Tyneside and therefore it may come as a surprise to see him being linked with a move away from St James’ Park.
TeamTalk report that clubs in Saudi Arabia have shown an interest in Joelinton and could move for the 29-year-old when the winter transfer window opens at the beginning of next month. The report also states that the Magpies received enquiries from the Saudi Pro League in the summer for Joelinton, but rebuffed any interest on him at the time.
Having spent over six years at Newcastle United following his £40m move from Hoffenheim in the summer of 2019, Joelinton has transformed his career from a goal-shy centre-forward to a dominant box-to-box midfielder who played a crucial role in March’s Carabao Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley.
Newcastle United and Saudi Pro League transfer issues
Newcastle United will almost certainly aim to keep Joelinton at the club during the winter window, with his importance to the team likely outweighing any transfer fee they will receive for him. However, if they do feel like now is the right time to move him on, they can expect any deal they negotiate to be heavily-scrutinised.
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The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF), Newcastle United’s majority owners, also own clubs in the Saudi Pro League and ever since the takeover of the club back in 2021, any proposed transfer between any Saudi Arabian club and the Magpies has grabbed headlines. Allan Saint-Maximin remains the only player to switch Tyneside for Saudi Arabia in the four years since the takeover, but that hasn’t prevented worries from other Premier League clubs that the Magpies will use the Saudi market, and the relationships between their owners, to their advantage.
Back in 2023, Premier League clubs voted to impose a temporary ban on related-party loan deals. Whilst that vote didn’t pass, 12 clubs still voted in favour of it. 14 votes was the magic number needed for the motion to be passed.
Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool all reportedly voted in favour of implementing that rule at the time. If passed, the Magpies would have been prevented from completing any loan deals with the four Saudi Pro League clubs who are also majority-owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund - Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli.