Alan Shearer suggests Newcastle may need to use Joelinton in a different position

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Alan Shearer has suggested that Newcastle United’s Joelinton is not a recognised striker and that he may need to be used in a different position.

The Magpies splashed out a staggering £40million (BBC) in the summer to sign the attacker from German club Hoffenheim.

He finished last season with 11 goals and nine assists in 35 games in all competitions for Hoffenheim, where he enjoyed success as either a winger or as part of a two-man strikeforce.

But this campaign at Newcastle the Brazilian has only scored three times and supplied three assists in 31 matches across all competitions.

The 23-year-old has struggled to assert himself in the lone forward role and isn’t looking like a natural finisher in the box with his movement.

Shearer has delivered his verdict on the Newcastle frontman ahead of the club’s home match against Burnley on Saturday in the Premier League.

“Someone has decided we’re going to play £40million for you, going to give you the number nine shirt and you’re going to play centre-forward,” Shearer told BBC Radio 5 Live Sport.

“He is not a centre-forward. Someone has said we’re going to take a huge gamble on him, it’s hard enough coming into the Premier League when you’ve been playing in a foreign league.

“That puts huge pressure on him. Slightly unfair for us to sit and judge. Of course he has to get in the box more, course he should have scored more goals. He doesn’t seem like he wants to get into the box now, so you might have to play him in a different position.”

TBR’s View:

Joelinton has massively underachieved during his first season so far at St James’ Park and it says a lot that midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is the club’s top scorer with five goals in all competitions.

The South American is a big physical presence that really needs someone alongside him and a partnership with Dwight Gayle is certainly one that manager Steve Bruce should explore.

It’s too early to consider Joelinton a write off and he needs the benefit of the doubt during his first year in England, but he could do with a strong finish this season to lift the cloud over him.