Share

Newcastle sign Ferreyra

London - Argentine striker Facundo Ferreyra has completed a move to Newcastle United on Sunday after joining foreign stars who refused to play with Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk because of the country's conflict.

The English Premier League side said they had signed the 23-year-old on a season long loan.

"I like the Premier League and when I knew that Newcastle were interested in me, it was a very easy decision to make," Ferreyra said in a Newcastle statement.

Ferreyra was one of six foreign players at Donetsk who had refused to return to the country after a friendly game in France in July.

The other five were Brazilians, and at least one, Douglas Costa, has also been linked to a move to the English Premier League.

Four Argentines playing for Metalist Kharkiv have also refused to go back to their club.

The crash of a Malaysian Airlines jet in eastern Ukraine, where government forces are battling separatist rebels, has heightened fears among foreigners in the country, including the football stars.

Ferreyra had struggled to get a regular first team place at Donetsk after joining from Argentinian side Velez Sarsfeld in 2013.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
68% - 2733 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
32% - 1282 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE