Rafa Benitez did not fancy Newcastle’s prospective £36m-record signing

Rafa Benitez did not want to sign striker Joelinton for Newcastle United, claims a report.

The Hoffenheim forward looks set to become Newcastle’s club-record signing with a £36million deal in the pipeline.

Joelinton was pulled from the club’s training camp in Windischgarsten earlier this week and missed the friendly against Regensburg and the 22-year-old Brazilian is believed to have had a medical on Tyneside.

“It’s not my decision, that’s what the club does,” said Hoffenheim boss Alfred Schreuder.

“It’s always the same in football: when players leave, it also opens up room for other players, and of course it’s a shame he’s leaving, but it’s also a matter of philosophy.”

The Brazilian looks like being Steve Bruce’s first signing, but Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth claims the deal would never have happened has Benitez still been at the helm.

The reporter claims that Newcastle have scouted the striker for a while, but Benitez was not keen on signing the player, who has scored seven goals in 27 Bundesliga appearances for Hoffenheim.

“Newcastle could break their transfer record not once but twice in the space of seven months,” Sheth said on Sky Sports News.

“It should be noted though that Joelinton isn’t a player that’s just happened to come on the radar for Newcastle United.

“They’ve been scouting him for a few months now. Rafa Benitez, when he was in charge, they were scouting him when Rafa was around as well.

“We’ve been told that perhaps Rafa wasn’t the biggest fan. So I don’t know whether he actually wanted to bring Joelinton in.”

Joelinton’s arrival will surpass the £20million that Newcastle paid to sign Miguel Almiron in January from MLS side Atlanta United.