PETER Lovenkrands has signed for Newcastle until the end of the season.

If Joe Kinnear hands the Denmark international a debut at Machester City next Wednesday, it will be the 28- year-old’s first league action in over seven months.

Lovenkrands has impressed Kinnear during a two-week trial on Tyneside after being released by German side Schalke earlier this month and he is keen to make an impression after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

“I can’t wait to put the Newcastle top on for the first time.

It’s going to be exciting and it will be an experience.

“I’m delighted to sign a deal until the end of the season.

I’ve got a great opportunity to impress and hopefully win a contract beyond then,” said the forward, who scored six goals in 44 Bundesliga appearances for Shalke.

But injuries and a loss of form saw him become a fringe player at the club and he made only eight starts in his last season-and-a-half with the team from Gelsenkirchen.

Lovenkrands is considered to be a winger – with the ability to operate on either flank – but he believes his most potent position is up front and he is relishing the prospect of showing the St James’ Park crowd his striking prowess.

“I will play anywhere but I’m a striker. Rangers put me on the left-wing because I was fast,” he said.

“But in my last half a season at Rangers I scored 18 goals from the striker position and proved I can play there.

It’s my preferred position.

“I’ve really enjoyed the past two weeks and I can’t stress how friendly the lads have been. I’ve settled straight in and the banter with the boys has been great, and of course it helps that I speak English, albeit with a Glaswegian accent!”

Lovenkrands, who secured two Scottish League titles during his spell with Rangers, added: “It’s going to be tough this season because it’s so tight at the bottom but we’ve got a lot of quality and hopefully I can add to that. I can’t wait for my debut at Man City.

“It’s a tough game but we know that every point counts between now and May so we’re certainly looking to get a result.”

Lovenkrands almost joined the Magpies in 2000 during Bobby Robson’s reign but the highly-rated Dane eventually chose to move north of the border.

At that stage of his career Lovenkrands was one of the hottest properties in Europe and Kinnear will be hoping he can regain something like that form to help boost Newcastle’s attacking threat.

“We’re delighted to get a player with such experience on board. Peter has spent nearly two weeks with us now and has really impressed,”

said the Newcastle manager.

“He’s settled straight in with the rest of the lads and has enjoyed being with us.

He’s definitely a threat going forward and we’re hoping that he can help us to get some of the points which will see us move up the table.”

After joining Shalke on a free transfer in the summer of 2006 the high-point of Lovenkrands’ spell with the German club was his brace of goals to secure a 2-0 victory over rivals Bremen.

But that was almost a year ago and it remains to be seen if he can still operate at the highest level.