Newcastle reach Joelinton transfer decision as Richard Hughes spies instant Al-Hilal signing

Newcastle United have no intention of allowing Newcastle United to leave the club despite continued interest from the Saudi Pro League, and with new manager Matthias Jaissle making his stance on the Brazilian – and two of his teammates – crystal clear, sources have told TEAMtalk.

The 30-year-old has been strongly linked with a move to the Middle East throughout the summer, with his camp holding talks as clubs in the Saudi Pro League explored the possibility of bringing him to the country.

However, TEAMtalk can confirm that Newcastle’s position is now clear: Joelinton is not available for transfer, and even continued interest from Saudi Arabia is not expected to change the club’s stance.

Joelinton has been absent in recent weeks with a thigh injury and is yet to feature in the Premier League this season, but Newcastle are hopeful that he will be able to return to action in the coming weeks.

There is a possibility that his comeback could come after the upcoming international break, with the club taking a cautious approach to his recovery rather than rushing him back into first-team action.

His absence has inevitably fuelled further speculation over his future, particularly given the interest that has emerged from Saudi Arabia, but sources have told TEAMtalk that Newcastle have no plans to sanction his departure.

It is understood the club had been considering their options earlier in the summer as approaches from the Saudi Pro League emerged, but the departures of Sandro Tonali and Joelinton’s close friend Bruno Guimaraes have changed the situation.

Newcastle do not want to weaken their midfield any further and have therefore placed Joelinton firmly in the group of players they consider essential to their plans.

The Brazilian has become an important figure at St James’ Park since arriving from Hoffenheim in 2019, with his role evolving significantly after initially being deployed predominantly as a striker.

His transformation into a powerful and influential midfielder has made him an important part of Newcastle’s squad, and new head coach Matthias Jaissle is equally keen to retain the strength of his group.

Jaissle rejected two other Newcastle exits

TEAMtalk understands Jaissle has already made it clear that he does not want his squad weakened, with Newcastle turning down approaches for players including Joe Willock and Jacob Murphy during the summer.

Joelinton is firmly in the same bracket, with the new Newcastle boss viewing him as an important component of his plans and not someone the club should consider selling while attempting to build momentum under a new regime.

That stance is particularly significant given the continued interest from Saudi Arabia.

We can confirm there remains major Pro League interest in Joelinton, with Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr among the clubs to have been linked with the Brazilian earlier this summer.

Al-Hilal have on Saturday lunchtime announced the appointment of Richard Hughes as their new sporting director, with the Scot departing his role with Liverpool and having quickly identified the Brazilian as an instant first signing.

The Saudi market also remains open beyond the European transfer deadline, meaning clubs in the Pro League still have an opportunity to make approaches for players until October.

In theory, that leaves the door open for Saudi clubs to test Newcastle’s resolve with a fresh proposal for Joelinton.

However, Newcastle’s position remains unchanged and sources insist that the club have no intention of entertaining an approach for the midfielder.

The departures of Tonali and Guimaraes have left Newcastle with even less appetite for another significant midfield exit, while Jaissle’s determination to maintain the depth and quality of his squad has further strengthened Joelinton’s position.

For now, the focus at St James’ Park is therefore on getting the Brazilian fully fit and back into the team rather than preparing for his departure.

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