ANDROS TOWNSEND is looking forward to playing for a manager who believes in him following his £12m switch to Newcastle United.

Townsend’s transfer from Tottenham was completed this evening, with the England international signing a five-and-a-half-year deal at St James’ Park.

His final six months as a Spurs player saw him frozen out of the first-team picture by Mauricio Pochettino, and he moves to Tyneside having made just three substitute appearances in the Premier League this season.

Pochettino forced him to play with the Under-21s during his final months at White Hart Lane, and having discussed Steve McClaren’s plans for him at length in the last couple of days, the 24-year-old is delighted to have joined a club where his attacking talents will be appreciated.

“It is important for me to have a manager that believes in my abilities, knows the way I play inside out, and knows what I can bring to the team,” said Townsend. “I’ve had a few great chats with Steve and I think he knows what I can do, and I know what he wants from me as well.

“Hopefully, it will all come together nicely on the pitch. He’s told me how much the fans love a winger. He says get the ball and be direct.

“He has given me bullet points of my strengths and weaknesses, what he wants from a winger in and out of possession. Everything is pretty clear. I know exactly what the manager wants from me and he knows what he will get from me.”

Townsend joined Tottenham’s academy at the age of eight, and while he had eight separate loan spells before he broke into the North London club’s first team, he always envisaged spending the vast majority of his career with Spurs.

He was an integral figure under Andre Villas-Boas and Tim Sherwood, with his form in the 2013-14 season enabling him to break into the England squad and win the first of his ten senior caps.

He would almost certainly have been involved in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil had he not suffered an ankle injury less than two months before the start of the tournament, and featured in a number of England’s matches in the recent qualifying campaign for Euro 2016.

However, while Roy Hodgson has never lost faith in his abilities, Pochettino was clearly more sceptical about his talents, and Townsend admits to being intensely disappointed about the manner of his departure from White Hart Lane.

“Of course it was disappointing,” he said, in an interview with NUFC TV. “Growing up a Spurs fan and being at the club since the age of eight, I obviously planned to spend most of my career at Spurs.

“For it to end so disappointingly, I would have liked for a better exit. But that is football - I just have to move forward and try to build a career here now.

“I’m not really an emotional person, but it was emotional (to leave). All the first-team lads at Spurs are in Barcelona, so I didn’t get to say ‘bye’ to them, but even going around saying goodbye to the staff, the kitman, the under-21s, it was emotional and sad to leave a club I have been at for the majority of my life. But that chapter is over now and I am delighted to start a new chapter at Newcastle.”

Townsend has taken over Newcastle’s number 25 shirt, and is expected to make his debut in next Wednesday’s game at Everton.

He was aware of the Magpies’ interest from an early stage of the transfer window, and while a possible move to Southampton was mooted involving a swap deal with Victor Wanyama, his heart was set on a move to the North-East from an early stage of discussions.

“I’m delighted,” he said. “It did drag out for a while, but I knew it would get there eventually. I’m delighted I am finally here.

“Newcastle is a massive club. It’s a great stadium, great fans, great tradition, great players as well. I know it’s a cliche, but as soon as I heard of Newcastle’s interest, there was only one place I wanted to come and I’m glad it is finally done.

“I’ve been to the stadium a few times, but I’ve only played once or twice. They’re great fans, a great stadium, and they really get behind the team. It will be great to run out at St James’ Park in a Newcastle shirt and feel the fans shouting you on.”

Townsend’s arrival is expected to hasten Florian Thauvin’s return to Marseille, with the Ligue 1 club keen to take their former winger back to the Stade Velodrome for the remainder of the season.

Meanwhile, Mike Williamson is set to sign an 18-month contract with Championship club Wolves after turning down an alternative offer from Sheffield Wednesday.