Joelinton's disappearance now explained as Brazilian striker falls into COVID-19 trap?
Yesterday I mentioned that (for want of a better expression) Joelinton had been MIA for Newcastle this pre-season - without any explanation.
However, it seems as though we may finally have an answer as to why our £40 million man is yet to show his face in training this summer.
The Mail's Craig Hope has suggested today that it may well be due to the Brazilian isolating - a result of his recent return from the Greek island of Mykonos.
On the 8th August, Joelinton posted on Instagram that he had been enjoying a family holiday on the island , which has become a ‘hot spot’ for Premier League footballers enjoying a break after a gruelling season.
As a result, the national press claim that this has led to many Premier League stars being forced to quarantine, with 6 Chelsea players and stars from other clubs having contracted the virus.
Here's a snippet from the Daily Mail's piece on it all, which perhaps explains why Joelinton is yet to return for pre-season following his holiday in Mykonos:
“Mykonos has proven to be a go-to hotspot for Premier League footballers this summer as an alternative to the usual haunts of Las Vegas, Ibiza and Marbella - all locations where the Foreign Office advise against all non-essential travel.”
“Fourteen positive tests were recorded at 12 different clubs who returned to pre-season training at the start of last week, including Sheffield United, West Ham and Brighton.”
Although unfortunate, it only adds to the damage of Newcastle’s already shambolic pre season - there’s now only one ‘fully fit’ striker available in Andy Carroll.
After a difficult first campaign in England, it was crucial for Joelinton to have a positive pre-season and hit the ground running in September.
It now seems as though the 24-year-old will have a rushed pre-season if he is in fact isolating - he will be under immense pressure to be sharp despite his shortened preparations.
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