Joelinton is convinced Bruno Guimaraes will stay at Newcastle this summer – and the duo have set a target of leading Brazil at the next World Cup.

The Newcastle midfield enforcer, 27, signed a new deal this summer to stay on Tyneside until 2028. And he has given the strongest declaration yet that his best man Bruno – who had a £100m release clause that expired in June – will be alongside him despite lingering interest from Manchester City.

Joelinton is fit again after a troubled season and says a refreshed squad will target the new campaign with “great expectations” and an eye of getting back to Europe. Joelinton was a huge miss last season on Newcastle’s left side, but is now tied down for the long term on and off the pitch after getting married in Brazil in the summer.

In his first interview since signing, he said: “I’m very happy, I always said I wanted to stay at the club. I love the club, the city. My family is happy there, I enjoy my life there. Things are going well on the football pitch so why not stay? I’m happy to continue my journey here.”

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“Football is always changing but I really made it clear that I wanted to stay. My head says I always want to stay and I’m really happy.”

Asked if he’d had the same conversations with Guimaraes, he said: “Yes, I hope he stays. I know him, he loves the club as well. He loves the fans, he enjoys his life in Newcastle United.

“He’s glad to be there for his life as well as football. Newcastle and the club want him to be happy and stay for many years.

Bruno Guimaraes featured for Brazil at the Copa America ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
“I think he’s going to stay. He tells me he’s going to come back next week and get ready for the season.” The Toon duo sang karaoke topless on the beach at his wild wedding party at the end of May, captured on social media.

Joelinton wed Thays Gondim, his partner of nine years, and he said: “Yes, the summer was one of the best, getting married, it was a great time for me, my family, my wife. We had a great time with my friends, we enjoyed our life.

“We come back fresh. Bruno’s a better dancer than me, I’m not so good, I try to enjoy it….and have a great time. I’m glad Bruno and his family came and we enjoyed time together. It was a good time.

“But now it is back to work and my hopes are high for the new season with Newcastle. Last season was difficult for me with the injuries and now I want to be healthy and help the team in every respect. I want to help us get back up there again.

Guimaraes and Joelinton are close friends on and off the pitch ( 
Image:
Stu Forster/Getty Images)
“We have great expectations. We have high expectations. We have big goals, we want to be better. We want to compete with the best. I want to be back in a final again.

“We want to be a competitive team. That’s what you want, that’s what you work for. We will hopefully have a good season.

“If I do a good job at Newcastle I have a chance to go to the national team. So I try to think one day at a time and try to help my team before the World Cup.”

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Joelinton has been transformed into a marauding midfielder by head coach Eddie Howe, and hopes there are no changes in the Toon hotseat. “He’s done a lot for me since day one. He’s a great coach. A great man. I love him. I have a lot of respect for him. He changed my career.

“They gave me a new mentality and helped my football. They’ve definitely changed my career. I will be grateful forever. We love him here, we want him here.

“Hopefully he will stay for many years. He’s a great coach and I know he can take us to the next level. Of course we want him to stay here for as long as possible. We want to stay with him.”