Initially hailed as a classic number 9 and compared to legends like Shearer and Cole, it quickly became clear his style didn’t fit the traditional centre-forward mold.
Speaking with club icon Rob Lee on the Adopted Geordies podcast, the Brazilian admitted he had to adapt on the fly following his transfer from Hoffenheim.
Joelinton said: "I have been here five and a half years and I have had some difficult times here. To still be here now and have the excitement and helping take the club back where it deserves to be is great.
"We just need to keep pushing and put the club as high as we can. I came here as a striker, I played my Academy time as a striker, and I would never have believed to be a midfielder today! But that is what happened.
"I never felt like I was a number nine, but I played in Brazil and in Germany there. In Germany I played as a second striker. Because of my size people thought maybe I was a number 9. Before I played in midfield but from there I played number nine, I played there until Eddie came and that changed everything."