RAFAEL BENITEZ felt it was important to add players with Championship experience and the ability to shine on the Premier League stage when he decided to push through deals worth £22m for Matt Ritchie and Dwight Gayle.

Both officially became Newcastle players when Ritchie moved from Bournemouth in a £12m transfer and Gayle completed a £10m switch from Crystal Palace; five year contracts have been signed in both cases.

And while Andros Townsend has completed a swift return to the top-flight with a £10.5m move to Selhurst Park, Benitez is extremely satisfied with the his latest two recruits because of the knowledge they have of playing in the Football League.

Ritchie spent three-and-a-half years at Bournemouth, where he helped the Cherries to the League One and Championship titles as well as playing a huge part in keeping Premier League football on the south coast.

Striker Gayle has scored goals for Palace in the Premier League, having made a name for himself in non-league before ending up with Peterborough in the Championship and heading for the Eagles.

Benitez, who has also added Belgian goalkeeper Matz Sels to his squad, is still pursuing more new signings, although how many will depend on the expected sales of Georginio Wijnaldum and Moussa Sissoko.

As pre-season started yesterday, Benitez said: "We have been following some wingers for a while and Matt was one of the best prospects for this team.

"He has great ability and pace, and as soon as we knew that Andros Townsend could be leaving, our priority was to finalise this deal.

"We have signed an exciting winger who has experience in the Championship but has also proved that he can step up to the top level. I am delighted that he is now part of our squad.”

His comments were very similar to those he made about Gayle, who has scored 15 league goals for Palace since joining them in the summer of 2013 from Posh.

Benitez said: "Dwight is a great player, a proven goalscorer, and it is fantastic news that he has joined us. He has a big personality, a lot of energy and pace. He is a good finisher also, so he will add goals to our squad, for sure.

"He knows English football well, too, and that is important in the Championship. I am sure Dwight will want to prove he can make a big difference to our team and I am looking forward to working with him.”

Ritchie will fill the void left by Townsend and will look to make a mark in the Championship again, and is excited about his opportunity at St James’ Park even if he has had to drop down from the Premier League.

The former Swindon wideman, 26, said: "It's an unbelievable feeling to come to a football club like this. I loved it at Bournemouth - I had a fantastic time there and it had a huge impact on my career.

“But when a club like Newcastle comes calling, I couldn't pass up this opportunity. It's fantastic to be here and I'm really looking forward to the challenge of getting the club back in the Premier League."

Newcastle are expecting skipper Fabricio Coloccini to move on in the not too distant future having granted him permission to stay in Argentina while a deal with San Lorenzo is thrashed out.

Benitez is happy for the Argentine’s £70,000-a-week deal to be removed from the wage bill ahead of the final 12 months of his contract, although Newcastle would have liked to have kept Townsend.

The England winger outlined a wish to move back to the Premier League following relegation and Alan Pardew was keen, so Palace triggered the £1.5m release clause in the player’s contract.

Newcastle's managing director Lee Charnley said: "Naturally we are very disappointed to lose Andros but we are bound by the terms of his contract.

"Given our situation in January it was a condition of him joining that we included a buy-out clause. However, I am sure now with Rafa as our manager we will not be in a position whereby we will need to agree to clauses of this nature in the future.

"Despite Andros' departure, we believe with the signings we have made this week we have strengthened the squad.”

Palace will not be following up interest in Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul after Pardew completed the signing of French goalkeeper Steve Mandanda from Marseille. Everton remain keen.

Former Newcastle forward Hatem Ben Arfa has signed a two-year deal with Paris St Germain.