It has now been claimed that Newcastle United have offered Joelinton to clubs in Saudi Arabia.
Khalid Al-Zahrani is a sports journalist who works for Saudi Arabia newspaper Hattrick and he is the one reporting the story.
The Saudi journalist saying: ‘Brazilian Joelinton, Newcastle’s pivot, is one of the names presented to the recruitment committee… The committee in turn presented him to the clubs… Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr showed no interest, Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Qadsiah are waiting..’
Like all transfer stories you approach with caution.
Could there be any truth, any substance in these claims?
Well, this summer 2026 transfer window has already proved full of intrigue and surprises, nowhere more so than at Newcastle United.
United have also shown now more of a willingness to trade players.
Joelinton turns 30 ahead of the new season, is one of the highest earners, is reported to have two years left on his Newcastle United contract and has increasingly had his fair share of injuries as the years have gone by.
The Brazil international has been a class act but I suppose reality is that every player has his price. Which is the key thing here I think, with regard to whether we believe Newcastle United would be actively pushing the sale of Joelinton.
With Al-Hilal having just paid £70m to West Ham for Summerville (What is he doing going there at the age of 24? Well, apart from the obvious!) it reminds us that the spending of serious sums of money for Premier League clubs is still a thing.
What weakens this journalist’s story, his claims, is the fact he doesn’t mention the fact that some of the clubs he mentions are still also majority owned by the Saudi Arabia PIF, the same as Newcastle United.
Transfers are still allowed between two clubs that have the same ownership but they are seriously scrutinised as to FMV (Fair Market Value) and in reality there would be no seriously extra large transfer fee paid by such a Saudi club to Newcastle United.
Allan Saint-Maximin was sold to a PIF owned Al-Ahli for £23m back in 2023 and if anything, at the time it felt like the transfer fee was a bit on the low side.
It is certainly proving a summer of significant change within the Newcastle United squad, still almost six weeks of this window remain so who knows what will be the reality by the time we get to 11pm on Monday 1 September 2026.