Hoffenheim have again broken their club transfer record by shipping a young Brazilian striker to the English Premier League. Joelinton moves to Newcastle, but are there echoes of Roberto Firmino joining Liverpool?
Image: Imago/J. Hübner
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There's nothing quite like the sale of a Brazilian attacking talent, at least not in the eyes of Hoffenheim's accountants.
Joelinton's transfer to Newcastle has brought in a reported €44 million, eclipsing the €41 million Liverpool paid for Roberto Firmino in 2015. Granted, the pound's value has dipped markedly in the intervening years; so in terms of pounds Sterling, Joelinton was the considerably more expensive of the two.
Similarities between the two Brazilian strikers abound, with 22-year-old Joelinton making his move to England at a similar stage in his career as Firmino, who was 23 at the time. But to what extent does the comparison really stack up? Have the Magpies and their new manager Steve Bruce picked up a future Brazil regular, who's ready to make his mark at the next level?
Liverpool didn't think they were buying a number 9 in Roberto Firmino. Only months after his transfer, when Jürgen Klopp arrived on Merseyside, did Firmino start playing as a "false 9" and really start to shine.
Joelinton's bigger, burlier frame is more suited to playing as an out-and-out striker. But make no mistake, the Brazilian is just as capable of leaving defenders on their backsides with sumptuous skill as he is with his sheer strength.
The last Brazilian forward to leave Hoffenheim for England turned out alrightImage: picture-alliance/dpa
Capable of playing as a second striker, or even on the right wing, he will drop back and demand the ball during build-up play. He laid on as many goals as he scored, seven apiece, in the Bundesliga for Hoffenheim this season.
Pedigree and potential
Firmino had a shaky 18 months or so at Hoffenheim before finding his feet in the Bundesliga. Perhaps having learned from this, Hoffenheim loaned Joelinton out to Rapid Vienna for two seasons after he'd spent a year on the fringes of the squad.
Joelinton was therefore more of an immediate hit on his return. Still, he doesn't make his move to the Premiership as an established Bundesliga star as Firmino did.
One solid season in a very strong side, in which Joelinton failed to hit double-figures in either goals or assists, was ultimately enough to convince Newcastle to splash the cash. His 15 goals over the course of two Austrian Bundesliga seasons don't exactly herald the arrival of a 30-a-season-striker either.
Firmino also scored just seven during his final Bundesliga season with Hoffenheim, but he'd netted 16 and laid on 12 in the previous campaign, helping transform them from relegation candidates into mid-table competitors. Joelinton simply slotted in as an extra member of an already-effective attacking unit, vying to qualify for European football again.
If you were looking for Hoffenheim's most important attacker of 2018-19, you'd look first to 28-year-old Andrej Kramaric and his 17 goals. But perhaps he's not as shrewd an investment for the future?
Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019
The paint has barely dried on the 2018-19 campaign and Bundesliga clubs are already busy making plans for next season. DW has an overview of the transfer deals that have been completed ahead of next season.
Image: picture-alliance/SvenSimon/O. Haist
Lucas Hernandez (Atletico Madrid to Bayern Munich)
Bayern made Hernandez the Bundesliga's record signing by splashing out €80 million ($89.7 million) for the versatile center-back, who will also provide cover for David Alaba. A powerful defender with plenty of room to grow, the 23-year-old is one of two members from France's World Cup winning side in 2018 set to join the club this summer…
Image: Getty Images/G. Bouys
Benjamin Pavard (Stuttgart to Bayern Munich)
…the other is fellow 23-year-old Pavard, who already has over 60 Bundesliga appearances to his name. After the triumph in Russia, it was clear the Frenchman was destined for bigger things and, while other sides were interested, Pavard claimed "Bayern were the only ones for me". €35 million ($39.2 million) looks to be an absolute bargain.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Balk
Kerem Demirbay (Hoffenheim to Bayer Leverkusen)
With Julian Nagelsmann Leipzig-bound, Hoffenheim are also set to lose a key figurehead on the pitch. Demirbay has come on leaps and bounds since moving to Sinsheim in 2016, having a hand in 38 goals (12 goals & 26 assists) in 87 appearances in all competitions, and wants to take the next step in Leverkusen with a view to adding to his 2 caps for the German national team.
Image: Reuters/K. Pfaffenbach
Luan Candido (Palmeiras to RB Leipzig)
A player that had caught the interest of Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund among others, 18-year-old Candido (right) has been touted as one of the hottest defensive talents in Brazil. A left-back trade with 8 appearances for Brazil's Under-20s to his name, Leipzig kept tabs on Candido for "half a year" before making the move to bring him to Saxony.
Image: picture-alliance/Offside/S. Stacpoole
Hannes Wolf (RB Salzburg to RB Leipzig)
Wolf (center) boasts a wealth of experience and title-winning exploits that would be the envy of most players his age. A three time Austrian champion and a UEFA Youth League winner, the 20-year-old felt it was "time to take the next step". Since 2012, Wolf is the 18th player to move from Salzburg to sister club Leipzig, who wrapped up the transfer back in December.
Image: picture-alliance/APA/Krugfoto
Filip Kostic (Hamburg to Eintracht Frankfurt)
After being relegated with Stuttgart in 2016 and Hamburg in 2018, few would have expected Kostic to be a contender for 'signing of the season' when he joined Frankfurt on a two-year loan deal. The Serb has been a revelation in Adi Hütter's system, playing in 45 of a possible 49 games in all competitions, making Eintracht's decision to trigger the buy-ou clause a no brainer.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/U. Anspach
Kevin Mbabu (Young Boys Bern to Wolfsburg)
With Paul Verhaegh leaving and reinforcements needed at right-back, Wolfsburg turned to four-time Switzerland international Mbabu (right). The 24-year-old, formerly on the books at Premier League outfit Newcastle, has featured in the Champions League and won back-to-back titles since making his loan move to Young Boys permanent in 2017.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Keystone/A. Anex
Joao Victor (Linzer ASK to Wolfsburg)
With Oliver Glasner taking over as head coach in the summer, Wolfsburg have brought in one of the key members of his LASK side with Joao Victor making the move to Northern Germany. The 25-year-old Brazilian has had a hand in 31 goals (19 goals & 12 assists) in 33 games for the Austrian side in the current campaign.
Image: picture-alliance/APA/E. Scheriau
Ihlas Bebou (Hannover to Hoffenheim)
Heavily linked with a move to Borussia Mönchengladbach, there was a surprise twist in the tale for Bebou when it was announced he had signed a contract until 2023 with Hoffenheim. The 25-year-old forward, who has 41 Bundesliga outings to his name, scored four goals and laid on three assists, but was limited to just 11 appearances due to torn thigh tendons.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Pförtner
Konstantinos Stafylidis (Augsburg to Hoffenheim)
With Germany international Nico Schulz reportedly set to leave the club, Hoffenheim have snapped up Augsburg's Stafylidis (right) to provide cover. The Greek left-back only made one appearance before Christmas, but has made nine starts in the second half of the season and is now "eagerly anticipating then chance to prove myself in this incredible environment" with 1899.
Image: Reuters/L. Kuegeler
Sargis Adamyan (Jahn Regensburg to Hoffenheim)
Hoffenheim triggered a release clause to make Adamyan (left) their first signing of the summer with sporting director Alexander Rosen referring to him as a "very exciting player". An international teammate of former Borussia Dortmund star Henrikh Mkhitaryan with Armenia, the 25-year-old has been in blistering form this season grabbing 15 goals and 11 assists in the 2. Bundesliga
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/G. Kirchner
Benjamin Goller (Schalke II to Werder Bremen)
Goller (center) first came to the attention of Bundesliga fans in December when he made his professional debut for Schalke, starting in their must-win UEFA Champions League group game against Lokomotiv Moskva. The winger hasn't featured for the Royal Blues since and, as a result, has sought out regular first-team football with a move to Bremen.
A product of Bremen's academy, Füllkrug (right) is set to return just under five years since he left to join Nuremberg. The striker's 14 goals helped Hannover survive the 2017/18 campaign, but cartilage damage in his knee restricted him to just 14 games and two goals this season. Nevertheless, Werder were willing to take the risk.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/M. Kern
Dong-Won Ji (Augsburg to Mainz)
Ji (2nd from left) has been bouncing around the Bundesliga since joining Augsburg from Sunderland in 2013 and, after spells with Dortmund and Darmstadt, will make Mainz his fourth different station in Germany. The South Korean is still only 27 and, while he may not be the most prolific striker, he has a real penchant for scoring important goals. Just ask BVB.
Image: Reuters/M. Dalder
Dedryck Boyata (Celtic to Hertha Berlin)
The 28-year-old Belgian defender moves on a free to the capital, signing a deal until 2022. Business manager Michael Preetz said Boyata had been a target for some time. The Belgian joins having won eight trophies with Celtic, and a year after being part of Belgium's World Cup squad. Hertha also announced that captain Vedad Ibisevic had extended his contract for another year.
Image: picture-alliance/AP/J. Meyer
Other done deals
Omen Hanin (Hapoel Hadera to Mainz), Atakan Karazor (pictured, Holstein Kiel to VfB Stuttgart), Mateo Klimowicz (Instituto AC Cordoba to VfB Stuttgart), Florian Kastenmeier (Stuttgart II to Fortuna Düsseldorf), Thomas Pledl (Ingolstadt to Fortuna Düsseldorf), Julian Krahl (Leipzig to Cologne), Kingsley Schindler (Holstein Kiel to Cologne)
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Weigel
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Career progression
This comparison struggles most of all when you look at the transfers from the players' perspectives, asking whether it makes sense for their career trajectories.
Firmino's move was not without risk, and questions were asked early in his stay about his price tag and his future at Liverpool. But there was no denying he was climbing several rungs on the European club ladder, moving from mid-table in the Bundesliga to a Liverpool side that had just missed out on the Premier League title in 2014-15.
Joelinton, on the other hand, departs a Hoffenheim team that narrowly missed out on European football and has been in regular contention towards the top of the table in recent years.
In coaching terms, Joelinton is trading in Julian Nagelsmann for Steve BruceImage: picture-alliance/M. Deines
Going on past seasons' form, and the ongoing ownership saga that has so upset the Magpies' fans, a more difficult situation awaits Joelinton on Tyneside. Yes, the club managed to finish 13th last season thanks in no small part to departed manager Rafa Benitez. But Benitez has since been replaced by Steve Bruce, an old school center back in his playing days who's had stints at 10 clubs as manager — usually either fighting to get into the Premier League, or to stay there. Rumors of a takeover, so common in recent years and clearly desired by fans opposed to current owner Mark Ashley, are yet to solidify into a sale.
Joelinton has at least timed his Hoffenheim departure to coincide with that of Julian Nagelsmann, arguably the Bundesliga's hottest coaching property, who is moving to RB Leipzig in the off-season.
