Newcastle's first summer signing Romain Amalfitano has conducted his first interview since joining the club, with the midfielder insisting his winning mentality will have a positive effect on a side who have already achieved so much.

The Toon looked a possibility for relegation at the beginning of the season, after losing big names and taking on some suspiciously cheap signings.

But after coming to within one game of Champions League qualification, and joining the Europa league for the first time since 2006, the side well and truly proved their critics wrong.

And now, with more trust in the scouting staff at Newcastle and the ability to build further on the squad as the club's funds continue to stabilise, Amalfitano was confirmed to become the side's first signing, and will move to St James' Park at the end of the month.

The 22 year old, who comes from French second division side Reims, says that his mentality fits well with the never say die attitude that the Newcastle group have shown over the last season.

Alan Pardew
Pardew's transfer policy is skewing towards French players.

"Naturally, I have this winning mentality that footballers tend to have," he told the Newcastle website. "Newcastle have already shown last season in their performances without me that they've also got that kind of mentality.

"So I'm hoping to learn and get involved as much as possible with that."

The prospect of participating in the Europa League will no doubt be exciting to every Toon player and fan, and Amalfitano says he can't wait to be juggling league games with travelling across the continent.

"I've never played in any of the European competitions and of course I'm excited to do that," he explained.

"But I just want to impose myself here. That's my main objective for the moment - to make a place for myself in the team."