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Joe's contract great business but brings Fair Play problems

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date13 April 2024
Publication titleEvening Chronicle
Joelinton has committed his long-term future to Newcastle after putting pen to paper on a new four-year contract

Howe was the first to admit that talks were 'not straightforward' during what was a 'complex process', but the Magpies boss stressed that Joelinton's message to him had 'always been that he wanted to stay'.

Newcastle recognised that this was a 'big contract' for Joelinton, at a 'pivotal moment in his career', as the midfielder approached the final 12 months of his original deal on terms below what other key players at the club now command.

Newcastle have been keen to maintain a tight wage structure, with an eye on both UEFA's squad cost rule and, indeed, squad harmony, but there was an acceptance behind the scenes that Joelinton merited being one of the club's top earners given his importance to the side.

This is a deal that will spare Newcastle a real headache this summer, when it comes to either trying to replace a player with a unique skillset or merely letting Joelinton's contract run down, but the 27-year-old's increased pay packet will still have to be factored into the club's summer plans.

"It will have ramifications because you're potentially lifting wages and that has an impact on your Financial Fair Play sheet, but the alternative is that Joe leaves on a free transfer, which for a player of his quality, would be really bad business for us," Howe told reporters.

"So that has alleviated that problem, but it maybe gives you problems elsewhere that you need to fix.

"With Financial Fair Play now, there will be decisions made by every club that they don't necessarily want to make.

"There will be players and transfers done from a manager's perspective that maybe in former times they wouldn't have happened.

"It's difficult for me to give absolute clarity on what's going to happen and what's not going to happen. I don't know, but Financial Fair Play will be something we have to be aware of this summer."

Newcastle had the ninth highest wage bill in the...

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