It would be nice to think that Newcastle United are now over the worst of it. Matthias Jaissle knows where the cloakroom is by this stage at St. James' Park, two months into his reign as Eddie Howe's replacement.

But Newcastle are not the force they once were. They are not the same team to stormed past Chelsea and Brentford and Arsenal and, finally, Liverpool at Wembley, to lift the Carabao Cup in 2025.

Most of the superstars have flown the nest, but there are a new brood of talented Magpies now hungry to make something of this new chapter.

Some of the remaining old guard may be reaching the end, though, with Joelinton and Joe Willock at risk.

What the future holds for Joelinton at Newcastle

Newcastle underwent a series of fundamental changes in midfield this summer. Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali left to the tune of £175m, stripping from the system it's central batteries.

Joelinton remains. In the past, the boisterous Brazilian has been described as a "club legend" by content creator Adam Pearson, but he fell from his one-time standard last season, a passenger, sometimes not even onboard.

He is out of contract in 2028, but the 29-year-old has yet to feature for the Toon this season as he recovers from a muscle injury. He hopes to return for the trip to Coventry City on October 12.

Joelinton still has a part to play on Tyneside, but Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba are the future, Nico Gonzalez quickly settling as the metronomic heartbeat of this team.

The window of opportunity is closing in on Joelinton, but he's not the only one, with Joe Willock's future at St. James' Park even more uncertain.

What the future holds for Joe Willock

Willock joined Newcastle from Arsenal for £25m back in August 2021. He had previously completed a six-month loan stint with the Toon, scoring seven on the bounce in the Premier League.

That wistful run has never quite been recaptured with Willock playing as a permanent part of the team. In fact, the 27-year-old has only started 26 times in the league across the past three campaigns. That said, under Jaissle, he is resurgent, three goals from seven games in all competitions, three Premier League starts.

He is out of contract at the end of the year, though, and with Besiktas among the interested clubs, there's a chance he might agree a pre-contract agreement with a suitor overseas before the end of the term.

His refreshed presence in the engine room could see him extend his time at the club, but there's no question that both Joelinton and Willock will be up against it in the fight to reclaim long-term starting positions in the middle of the park.

Especially when PIF are planning to spend big on another addition in 2027.

How Newcastle can replace Willock and Joelinton

Technical director Ross Wilson deserves credit for managing the chaotic flow of traffic that has rattled across Newcastle's pitch this summer. He has reequipped the midfield, but it feels like something is still missing.

Guimaraes and Tonali were combative players, happy to roll up their sleeves and pit their physicality against that of their opponents. This Jaissle is lacking right now, which might be why PIF are already considering a move to sign Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara.

Recent reports from TEAMtalk suggest Newcastle are plotting to swipe Camara from Chelsea, who had agreed a £47m move to join the Londoners this summer before the plug was pulled at the eleventh hour. As a result, he is incredibly open to a move away in January with several Premier League sides ready to pounce.

The 22-year-old is emerging as one of the most exciting midfielders out there, and he would surely prove the final piece of the puzzle at St. James' Park, enough to bridge the gap on those gathering in European contention at the top of the Premier League.

Camara's arrival would disrupt Joelinton and Willock's hopes of returning to their finest form at the outfit, but Jaissle must be cut-throat in his bid to put Newcastle's name back on the map. It's hard to argue that either midfielder offers more than Monaco's main man, coveted by some of the world's best.

In regard to combative ball-winning football, Newcastle's midfielders pale in comparison with Camara, whose unrelenting intensity has led Monaco manager Filipe Luis to hail him as "one of the best midfielders in the world".

And given that he has also completed 92% of his passes in Ligue 1 while still dribbling with intensity and completing 4.6 long balls per game this season, he's clearly a rounded player who would fulfil a number of roles in a vibrant Magpies midfield.

Camara would be a game-changer for Newcastle. The perfect counterpoint to promote Gonzalez's ball-playing and a mentor for the likes of Bamba.

Big money? Absolutely, but Camara would be the kind of addition that could make a lasting difference.