JOSELU insists there were mitigating factors behind his failure to sparkle at Stoke City, and is confident his season at the Britannia Stadium will enable him to make a much more positive impression with Newcastle United.

The Spanish striker was confirmed as Newcastle’s sixth summer signing earlier today, having signed a three-year contract to complete a £5m switch from the Potteries.

Having emerged from the youth ranks at Real Madrid, Joselu was regarded as an extremely exciting prospect during a three-year spell in the German Bundesliga, but his first season in English football was a major disappointment as he managed just four goals in 27 appearances in a Stoke shirt.

His failure to impress saw him loaned to Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna last season, but he claims it was inevitable he would need time to acclimatise in English football and clearly feels he should not be judged on what happened at Stoke.

Instead, with his bedding-in period at a much more advanced stage, he is confident he will be seen in a much better light following his transfer to Tyneside.

“It was a new country and a new league for me when I came to Stoke City,” said Joselu, who scored five goals for Deportivo last season. “It was a very good experience for me because I always wanted to play in the Premier League, but things were different because I had played for three years in Germany before I arrived in England.

“I tried to accommodate to the club as soon as possible. I don’t think the first few years are easy for any player, but I think it is good for me that when I come here now, I have the experience of a year in the Premier League. Last season I played in Spain, and I also think that is good for me.

“The first year in England is done. This is the most important thing for me because now I know the country, I know the teams and I know the league. That should make everything easier for me now. I know all the things about the country and the league – it is not new like it was two years ago, and that should make it easier for me.”

Despite only taking part in his first full training session with his new team-mates this morning, Joselu could yet find himself parachuted straight into the squad for Sunday’s Premier League game at Huddersfield Town.

Rafael Benitez is hardly overrun with attacking options, and with Daryl Murphy having left Tyneside in a £2m move to Nottingham Forest, Joselu will find himself competing with Dwight Gayle and Aleksandar Mitrovic for a place in Newcastle’s starting line-up. Given that Mitrovic’s future beyond the end of the transfer window remains in doubt, it is easy to see why Benitez was so determined to sign the 27-year-old, who first came to his attention during his formative years with Celta Vigo and Real Madrid.

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Joselu was back in Madrid at the start of this week as his wife gave birth to a son, but after scoring five goals during Stoke’s pre-season programme, the Spaniard insists he will be ready if called upon this weekend.

“I feel very good,” he said, during an interview with Newcastle's official website. “I am fit, and I tried to do everything I could in pre-season because it is important that you get yourself in the right condition. You have to get your legs working again, and I feel very good.

“I have spent the last few days in Madrid because my son was born in Madrid and I stayed with my wife, but I have been feeling very good in training and I am looking forward to getting to know my team-mates and feeling part of the team.

“I feel very happy because I am signing for a very big club. I have been waiting for the last days. I tried to be here as early as possible, but I am here now and very happy to be part of this club. I am so excited.”

Benitez started the summer targeting the likes of Andre Gray, Joshua King and Tammy Abraham in the forward positions, but the Magpies manager has been forced to recalibrate his approach after the limitations of Mike Ashley’s financial restrictions became apparent.

Signing Joselu is something of a gamble given his previous struggles in the Premier League, although in purely financial terms it is a calculated one given his £5m price tag.

Nevertheless, with Gayle’s injury record suggesting he is unlikely to make it through a full season without requiring a spell on the sidelines, Benitez desperately needs Joselu to make a positive impression.

“We have known Joselu since his days at the Real Madrid academy, and we know that he has the potential to do well for us,” said the Newcastle boss. “Obviously he has experience of English football and the Premier League, and that was another thing we took into consideration.

“We think if we can exploit his full potential, he will be a good signing for us. He knows and accepts the challenge we’ve given him at Newcastle United, and he’s keen to come and fight for a position in the team.”