'You can see a lovely little South American combination with the pace of Almiron' - an expert view on the potential impact of Newcastle new boy Joelinton

South American football expert Tim Vickery believes the Brazilian and Paraguayan has all the hallmarks of quality partnership for the Premier League.

And ahead of Joelinton’s potential Magpies debut at Preston North End this afternoon, Vickery thinks Steve Bruce has got a potential Samba superstar on his hands.

“I have very high hopes for Joelinton,” Vickery told TalkSPORT.

“Hoffenheim plucked him away [from Brazil] when he was a teenager, and he didn’t play very much over here.

“There was no real noise about him, but I happened to see one of his games in the Maracana. He came off the bench as a teenager and he went straight into the notebook; I thought he was terrific!

“My first impression was: ‘that’s interesting, a tall centre-forward who is mobile and left-footed’.

“But he’s not – he’s right-footed, but he was so good on the left that was my original impression.

“He is good with both feet, mobile, and he’s got some physical presence about him. He’s been brought on nicely by Hoffenheim, who loaned him out to Rapid Wien first so he got regular first-team action there before coming back and having a really good season in the Bundesliga.

“Newcastle have just lost a big Venezuelan in Salomon Rondon… Joelinton doesn’t have quite the same physical presence as Rondon, but he is more mobile.

“I think there is a real player there.”

The 22-year-old became the Magpies’ record signing this week when a £35million deal was struck with Bundesliga side Hoffenheim.

And Vickery says he likes the look of a possible frontline link up with the previous holder of that title, Almiron.

“You can see a lovely little South American combination there,” he said.

“The pace of Almiron and the penalty area nous and two-footed shooting of Joelinton.

“Joelinton is a player who deserves the platform Newcastle can give him.”

United play Championship Preston at Deepdale this afternoon. Kick-off is 3pm.