RAFAEL BENITEZ has often drawn similarities between Newcastle United’s supporters and Liverpool’s.

Similarly, there have often been comparisons made between the atmosphere created at Anfield with that at the home of Borussia Dortmund.

Little wonder then, having had a walk around St James’ Park empty, that summer signing Mikel Merino is looking forward to playing in front of a full-house on Tyneside after making the switch from Dortmund.

Newcastle, who have had an offer rejected for Stoke City striker Joselu, are gearing up for the Premier League opener with Tottenham a week on Sunday and play a final pre-season friendly against Verona tomorrow.

The visit of the Italians will see Merino take to the field on Tyneside for the first time and, although it will not be a packed house, he can’t wait to get his first season in England underway seven days later when the action starts for real.

The midfielder expects to play more regularly than he did during the first year of his five-year contract at Dortmund, although during his time there he was still amazed by what it was like to play for one of the Bundesliga’s biggest clubs and in the league’s biggest stadium, Signal Iduna Park.

And Merino, recalling what it was like to play in front of the Park’s famous Sudtribune (South Stand), he said: “I don’t know yet what it will be like playing at St James’, but I have heard the fans here are really good and I am used to that.

“I have the good experience of being with Dortmund and Osasuna. 80,000 fans inside the stadium at Dortmund, there are always that many there no matter what game. I hope this crowd is also at this level. It is really good to have them with the team.

“It was fantastic to play there, playing in front of that (yellow) wall. It is really impressive because everyone has yellow with them, everyone is singing, and you go there as a player at the end to clap them and they start to sing and jump.

“It’s really impressive on TV and impressive in the stadium, but it’s even more incredible when you are down on the pitch and you see it. Your neck is almost broken when you see it, with the hairs standing up too.”

Merino is only 21. He made his name playing for Osasuna in Spain before moving to Dortmund, where he only got to play eight times in the league. Merely sharing the playing fields and dressing room with players such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Marco Reus, Nuri Sahin and Mario Gotze, though, has given him the perfect platform to flourish.

He said: “It was a really good experience. The only bad thing was that I didn’t play in important matches. The city was a nice city, I was happy there. My team-mates were really nice people. I thought when I went that because they were big names in the squad they might walk around with their chest out.

“It was completely different, they were funny. They always cared about me, asked if I had found my house, checked on my health, my family, everything was really good. I learned a lot from my one year there. It will help me to know how high level football works.

“You have to win, you are at one of the best clubs there, and you feel that. You feel that in training every day. If you don’t train hard then in matches you will not be at your best. I have that now in my DNA, the German thing, and that is great to have.

“It was incredible, impressive how good they are. They don’t fail, don’t even fail a pass. They do everything perfect. You have to learn that. You have to perform at the same level and that level is an incredible level.”

Merino has only been with the Newcastle squad for a couple of weeks but it has helped him settle by having fellow Spaniards around, particularly like manager Benitez. He impressed during the midweek over Wolfsburg, and he is confident he has the ability and temperament to shine in the Premier League.

He said: “When I am in the season I am only focused on the season where I am, but last season was hard for me. I was only looking in training, to improve my conditions and when the season finished I was told about the possibility to come to Newcastle with Rafa.

“It’s a really good club. I was told I would have opportunities to play and to develop my skills. This is the right place for me to be. I am happy to be finally be here.

“I know it is really physical here, players are strong and fit. I am prepared for it. I can fight with the guys who are really strong. I have to put my technical and tactical skills. You have to use all of your armoury to win games and to impress.”

Benitez is desperately seeking new recruits ahead of the visit of Tottenham. The bid for Stoke’s Joselu is a further sign of how difficult Newcastle have found the search for reinforcements, having also failed on a number of other fronts this summer.

Newcastle do not want to pay over the odds for players and Benitez has been told that existing members of his squad must be moved on first before he can bring in the number he feels he requires before the end of the transfer window.