Newcastle United star Siem de Jong believes that he can be the Magpies ‘surprise signing’ after fully recovering from 12 months with various injuries, according to reports from the Daily Mail.
De Jong was signed from Ajax Amsterdam in a £6million deal last summer and was expected to provide the goals for Newcastle.
But his career at St. James’ Park couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start, as the tore a thigh muscle early in the season and then was diagnosed with a collapsed lung back in February.
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This saw the Dutchman start only one Premier League game the entire campaign, but De Jong played all 90 minutes and managed to get his name on the score-sheet in the Toon Army’s 4-1 win over Northampton in the League Cup on Tuesday.
And the 26-year-old revealed his pleasure regarding his comeback, and that he almost feels like a new signing.
“I feel like a new signing a little bit,” he said. “But this (with the new manager) is a new start for everybody and we are all positive. For me, last year was the toughest of my career. The year before with Ajax I had a few injuries but last year I only played three or four games. Before that I played 50 games a season. So it was a really strange year.
“Tuesday was only my second 90 minutes for Newcastle in a year, even including pre-season. It has been a while since I have played 90 minutes so it was good for me. I need the games. I want to get in as many games as possible to try and get my rhythm back again and Northampton was a good start.
“You have to move on but especially after the second collapsed lung it was difficult. I had just got back and felt really strong and then it happened again. I was pretty down for the first couple of weeks but I had to get back and fit again.
“It was disappointing for myself then for the club, my team-mates and the people watching.
“It is a new club and you hope to start off well. I think I started well in pre-season but then it ended almost straight away. It was difficult but I couldn’t really help it.
“But now it is a new start and I am only looking forward.”
De Jong scored 78 goals in 244 games for Ajax before joining Newcastle, also captaining the Eredivisie club.
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