KEVIN KEEGAN has revealed new signing Jonas Gutierrez cannot wait to get into action for Newcastle United.
And while the Argentinian winger will not pull on a black and white shirt in earnest until the friendly with PSV Eindhoven at St James’ Park on Wednesday August 6, Keegan could not be more delighted at his attitude.
But while Gutierrez will miss out in tomorrow’s first friendly at Hartlepool, United’s other new boy Danny Guthrie will be there.
Keegan said today: “I already know what Jonas and Danny will be bringing to this club because I have seen it on the training ground.
“Jonas was told he could come in next week, but he has come in this week and that tells you a little bit about his character.
He’s 25 years of age and is a very fit boy, very determined and very professional and I think the crowd are going to like him – he’s top class.
“Young Danny Guthrie is a little bit of a mix for the older fans between Paul Bracewell and Rob Lee. He’s that type of player. Good engine, a very good passer of the ball. A link-up player who can get around the field and of course in the Premier League you need that.
“And over time he’ll probably learn to play in a defensive-midfield holding position.
We have these two in and I am really pleased with them.
“Obviously, the whole world knows that the squad is too small. Every Newcastle fan and the people at the club know that.
“But getting the right players in was always going to be tough because there is a lot of competition for good players.
“However, Jonas is definitely the sort of player who can excite the fans. I think they will love him for a lot of reasons.
But the main thing, apart from his pace, is that whoever plays up front will like him because he is a supplier of goals.
“Daniel Guiza, the guy who has just gone to Fenerbahce from Mallorca, won the Golden Boot in Spain and that means he scored more goals than anyone else at the likes of Real Madrid.
“A key part of that was Jonas and the crosses that he provided, and we’ve got that now.
“There’s a lot of competition for those two wide places because he can play right or left, they’re his two best positions.
“Jonas is the real deal. He’s not just somebody who has come and you think he’s a bit of a chancer.
“He is proven and I think our supporters will like him.
“But that’s for him to decide by his performances and them for how they appreciate it.”
United will wear their new purple change kit for the first time tomorrow.
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