Newcastle open talks to sign £30m Premier League star

Newcastle United central midfielder Joelinton will miss the club’s next two matches in the Premier League after he was booked for the tenth time this season on Sunday.

The Brazil international’s yellow card against Crystal Palace in the 2-1 defeat at Selhurst Park means that he will be suspended for the games against Bournemouth and Arsenal.

Joelinton has not been at his best in the middle of the park for the Magpies this season, perhaps best evidenced by the fact that he averages more fouls (1.6) than tackles (1.5) per game in the league.

The former centre-forward has also failed to offer the team much with his work in possession for Eddie Howe’s side, scoring two goals and providing one assist in 25 appearances in the Premier League.

His struggles in and out of possession in the top-flight throughout the 2025/26 campaign could throw his position in the team into doubt ahead of next season.

With the summer transfer window on the horizon, Joelinton may need to improve his performances and fast to avoid being replaced by Howe and the recruitment team.

If the Brazilian flop continues to struggle and not offer much to the side on or off the ball, the Magpies may go and sign an upgrade on him in the middle of the park.

According to Anfield WatchNewcastle United are already looking at a player who could end Joelinton’s career at St. James’ Park next season.

The report claims that the Magpies are one of a number of clubs working on a deal to sign central midfielder Curtis Jones from Liverpool in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Chelsea, Manchester City, and Newcastle have all made contact with the Reds to enquire about the possibility of a deal for the England international, as they look to bolster their midfield ranks.

The 25-year-old talent is out of contract in the summer of 2027 and this summer could be Liverpool’s final chance to secure a decent fee for his services, unless they pin him down to an extension. Reports from January suggested that fee may be around £30m.

How signing Curtis Jones would end Joelinton’s Newcastle career

Signing Jones in the upcoming summer transfer window could signal a change in approach for the Magpies because of his specific style of play.

Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, and Joelinton, whilst they have their individual qualities on the ball, are all high-energy powerhouses in midfield who can run for days and constantly disrupt the opposition with fouls and tackles.

Jones, however, is a completely different profile of midfielder. He is a slight, mobile, midfield star whose main attributes are on the ball, rather than off the ball, as he explained to Rio Ferdinand last year when talking about his passing ability.

Jones is at home with the ball at his feet picking out passes and setting up teammates, as evidenced by his 92% pass accuracy in the Premier League this season and 94% success rate last term.

The English metronome, who was described as “underrated” by Como scout Ben Mattinson, could help Howe to transform the way that Newcastle play by putting more of an emphasis on controlling matches with the ball.

25/26 Premier League	Jones	Joelinton
Appearances	33	25
Pass accuracy	92%	82%
Passes made per 90	70.86	32.08
Chances created per 90	1.16	0.76
xA times 90	0.15	0.06
Long pass accuracy	68%	65%

Joelinton averages less than half as many successful passes per 90 as Jones in the Premier League, which illustrates both the difference in style between Liverpool and Newcastle and between the two central midfielders.

The England international is supremely comfortable on the ball, under pressure, and can pick out passes at an incredibly impressive success rate, whilst also creating chances and taking risks.

Jones, despite not being a typically physical player, has also won a higher percentage of his ground duels (52%) than Joelinton (47%) in the Premier League this season.

However, the Brazilian has won more ground duels (3.0) per game than Jones (2.3) and there is still an argument to be made that he is more effective in duels, despite winning a lower percentage of them.

Overall, though, the technical quality that the Liverpool star could bring to St. James’ Park as a midfield metronome could transform Howe’s midfield and make them a force to be reckoned with in possession, rather than just off the ball.

Joelinton, therefore, could find game time harder to come by next season as Jones would be a brilliant deep-lying playmaker, setting the tempo for Newcastle, behind Guimaraes and Tonali, which could force the Brazilian to consider his long-term future at the club.