French winger Gabriel Obertan joined Newcastle from Manchester United on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old Obertan will be available for the Premier League opener against Arsenal on Saturday after signing a five-year contract.
''I spent two good years in Manchester but it was a bit difficult with the competition and I really needed a club where I could play more games,'' Obertan said on Newcastle's website. ''I know it won't be easy to play each game here, because there's a good group, but I want a fresh start in my football.''
The former Bordeaux player was limited to only 15 appearances for United last season.
''He has great pace and excellent technique and he has improved his power in the last 12 months and is ready now to make a real impact in the Premier League,'' Newcastle manager Alan Pardew said. ''I contacted Sir Alex about him early at the start of the summer to see if there was an opportunity to bring him to Newcastle, but it wasn't until Wayne Routledge joined Swansea that we were able to bring him in.''
