Newcastle United reportedly want to bring Joelinton to the Premier League from Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim next summer.
Ralf Rangnick has distanced RB Leipzig from speculation surrounding Joelinton, and admitted to Goal that he would be surprised to see the Brazilian striker sign for Newcastle United next summer, too.
Sport1 raised eyebrows in England and Germany on Sunday when they claimed the Hoffenheim forward was set to join Newcastle at the end of the season.
Joelinton has been in fine form this campaign, scoring ten times for Julien Nagelsmann’s side. But suggestions the Magpies would be willing to pay around £50 million seem a little odd considering that owner Mike Ashley is not known for splashing the cash.
In quotes reported by Goal, Leipzig coach Rangnick admitted that he does not expect to see Joelinton wearing black and white stripes next season, adding that the 22-year-old is likely to be out of his side’s reach, too.
“I only read that Newcastle want to pay £50m for him,” Rangnick said.
“Coming with this fee, the player would get a fitting contract. We are not able to pay this, whoever the player is.
“(Moving to Newcastle) would surprise me because Mike Ashley, who has never paid more than around £20m for a player, is thinking about selling the club and wants to make a profit.
“That he, at the end of his tenure at Newcastle, would buy a player for so much money is hard to believe.”
It took Ashley 14 years to break Newcastle’s transfer record, bringing Miguel Almiron to Tyneside from Atlanta United in January. Whether he will do so again, for £50 million no less, seems very unlikely as things stand.
Yet if Ashley does sell the club, and Newcastle find themselves under the ownership of some billionaires from abroad, a deal for Joelinton might just happen.
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