Joelinton sets sights on Sport Recife return as part of Newcastle exit strategy

The 26-year-old player has had a highly successful time in the Premier League up to this point and still has many years ahead of him before retirement crosses his mind. Despite his success, he has expressed that returning to his roots in football would be a dream come true.

“God willing, one day I hope to return and end my career at Sport, the club where I started,” he told Brazilian outlet UOL. “But I also want to play for other clubs in Brazil. São Paulo were a club I followed too, it’s a very big club in our football. 

"And I like Palmeiras a lot too, I have a friend who is a Palmeiras fan, and he says I’m going to play there. They’re two clubs that I really admire. Maybe one day I’ll be able to play for one of them.” 

He spoke about his positional changes since leaving South America where he was once a striker but has adapted into a midfield role which he thinks has changed him completely as a player. 

“It’s a position I’ve always enjoyed playing," he continued. "Not as a holding midfielder, but as a midfielder who could float around, play with two strikers, and be involved in the game. I think the coach helped me a lot with this change,” he said. 

“Not just Eddie, who changed my position, but in Germany, when I worked with (Julian) Nagelsmann. I learnt a lot from him tactically, and I think that helped me to be able to understand.”