Jonjo Shelvey enters debate on whether players won’t come to Newcastle and only Manchester, London… | OneFootball

Jonjo Shelvey has been talking about Newcastle United and Tyneside in general.

The England international and former NUFC player was at St James’ Park for seven years and knows the truth.

What the truth is of course, is that when Newcastle United are trying to be the best they can be, then they have no trouble attracting AND retaining players from both overseas and elsewhere in the UK.

This was shown under Sir Bobby, Kevin Keegan and now Eddie Howe.

Top class players in the past such as Ferdinand, Ginola, Asprilla, Lee, Robert, Solano and now (you will always get the odd Rat!) the likes of Joelinton, Bruno, Tonali, Trippier, Botman, Woltemade, Thiaw…

Jonjo Shelvey talking to BBC Sport – 16 October 2025:

“There is this debate about whether Newcastle are able to attract the big players compared to the Manchester clubs and the London clubs but, until you go there, you don’t understand what it does to you.

“There are loads of things to do. I don’t care what anyone says.

“If players are going to listen to this, it’s a no-brainer to go there and play football.

Jonjo Shelvey on that 75th minute free-kick winner at Elland Road on 22 January 2022 as Newcastle won 1-0 and started a run of six wins and a draw that effectively removed the threat of relegation:

“If I had not scored that, the club would have gone down.

“Looking back at it, you don’t realise how big a goal it was and, to be fair, the keeper [Illan Meslier] chucked one in for us. I scuffed the life out of it.

Only good things:

“I have only got good things to say about my time at Newcastle. I loved it.

“Even when I first got the call about going there, I drove 12 hours from Swansea because of the traffic. I just wanted to get up there, get my medical done and get signed.