London: Argentine striker Facundo Ferreyra on Sunday completed a move to Newcastle United after joining foreign stars who refused to play with Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk because of the country`s conflict.
The English Premier League side said they had signed the 23-year-old on a season long loan.
"I like the Premier League and when I knew that Newcastle were interested in me, it was a very easy decision to make," Ferreyra said in a Newcastle statement.
Ferreyra was one of six foreign players at Donetsk who had refused to return to the country after a friendly game in France in July.
The other five were Brazilians, and at least one, Douglas Costa, has also been linked to a move to the English Premier League.
Four Argentines playing for Metalist Kharkiv have also refused to go back to their club.
The crash of a Malaysian Airlines jet in eastern Ukraine, where government forces are battling separatist rebels, has heightened fears among foreigners in the country, including the football stars.
Ferreyra had struggled to get a regular first team place at Donetsk after joining from Argentinian side Velez Sarsfeld in 2013.
AFP
First Published: Sunday, August 3, 2014, 18:36
