Report: Brazilian midfielder could leave Premier League to join Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi Pro League

The Saudi Pro League continues its quest to become one of the most competitive leagues in the world. Of Christiano Ronaldo As a key player, clubs aggressively pursue more top European talent every transfer period. In this case the goal is a Brazilian midfielder who makes a mark in the Premier League.

“NEwcastle United star Joelinton is back on the radar for the Saudi Pro Leaguewith powerful clubs now very much looking for a possible deal in the January period,” TeamTalk recently reported.

Joelinton has played in 20 games this season and scored three goals across the competition Eredivisie, UEFA Champions League, And Carabao cup. He remains a key figure in the coach Eddie Howe‘s plans, but that would not necessarily prevent a possible transfer.

“Newcastle are said to be considering a permanent deal for the player despite the fact that Howe has made it clear to the board that he does not want to weaken his team in the new year,” added to the report. The Brazilian midfielder is under contract Newcastle until June 30, 2028.

This is not the first time Joelinton has attracted interest from Saudi Pro League clubs. Last summer there was a possibility that he would follow stars Cristiano Ronaldo, Riyad Mahrez, And Categorically reported when leaving the Premier League for Asia. That move ultimately fell through as Newcastle decided to keep one of their top players. Now that could change, with the club seemingly willing to at least consider offers.

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Joelinton is aiming for a World Cup spot with Brazil

As with all football stars, career decisions in the January transfer window will be heavily influenced by the FIFA World Cup 2026. With the tournament less than six months away, no player wants to miss it.

Players who don’t get regular minutes at their current club often look for moves that will increase their chances of making their national team’s 26-man squad. Even those receiving lucrative offers are weighing the potential impact of a transfer on their World Cup hopes.

For Joelinton, he has been an established player at Newcastle for years and, barring anything unusual, will have plenty of games to convince over the next six months Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti that he deserves a place in the selection.

How Joelinton fared under Ancelotti

Under the new coach, Joelinton has struggled to find his place in the national team. He was not included in Ancelotti’s first team in June and missed the September international break due to injury. In October he finally got a chance and was left on the bench in a friendly match South Korea and played against for 33 minutes Japan.

However, further physical setbacks kept him out of Brazil’s selection in November. That leaves a less than optimistic record for Joelinton: under Ancelotti he has been called up for just one of FIFA’s four breaks and has played just one matchcoming from the bank. His upcoming career decisions could therefore be crucial in securing (or missing) a place at the 2026 World Cup.