Newcastle United are set to complete the club-record signing of Brazilian striker Joelinton, a player former manager Rafa Benitez feared was over-priced.
The 22-year-old will arrive at St James’ Park from Hoffenheim for a fee in the region of £35million, beating the £21m January signing of Miguel Almiron.
Joelinton has been on the club’s radar since last year and head of recruitment Steve Nickson has been determined to complete a deal for the striker.
Benitez, however, was not so keen given the sums involved and would have preferred to keep West Brom loanee Salomon Rondon as his main frontman.
But with Benitez gone, and Steve Bruce now installed as boss, the move has been sanctioned and Joelinton will become the new manager’s first signing.
Having lost Rondon and Ayoze Perez, who has joined Leicester for £30m, Newcastle were left with just Dwight Gayle and Yoshinori Muto as recognised frontmen this summer.
Joelinton, who is likely to take the No 9 jersey, scored seven times in the Bundesliga last season. He netted 21 times for Rapid Vienna during a two-year loan stay between 2016 and 2018 after joining Hoffenheim from Brazilian side Sport Recife in 2015.
