Signing Confirmed: JESUS GAMEZ

Jesus Gamez has joined Newcastle United from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid on a two year deal for a fee reported to be in the region of £3m.

Games, 31, is usually utilised as a right back but can play in both full back positions and will bring much needed experience to Rafa’s new look side. Whether this signals a move for Janmaat who is widely tipped as another likely leaver this summer or not remains to be seen. Given his age and experience however it seem certain that Rafa will be placing him on the team sheet on one side or the other as a starter.

He joined Malaga as at just 15 years old and would work his way through the youth and B team eventually playing 266 games for the senior Malaga squad over 9 years, scoring one goal. In 2014 he would get his big move to Atletico Madrid however where he played 24 times under Diego Simeone, mostly in his first season.

Jesus has never been capped as a full international, making only 4 appearances at Spain U23 level.

It seems likely that what Rafa is looking for is a reliable, hard working player who of course will bolster the number of native Spanish speakers in the dressing room with only Ayoze Perez a Spaniard from the current crop.

After problems last season covering both full back positions, with Colback and Aarons having to cover in spells, even if he doesn’t start he will add some much needed cover.