Newcastle United defender Florian Lejeune has spoken out about the conversation with manager Rafa Benitez which convinced him to join the Magpies from Eibar during the summer.
For many years, the Magpies have been viewed as a club that one can join in order to make a name for themselves and eventually join a more decorated club.
Under Benitez however that perception has changed given that the Spaniard is one of the most respected bosses in the game.
Lejuene joined the Tyneside club as he felt that it could provide a means for him to reach his ultimate goal of winning selection for the French national team.
He said: “Of course it is in the back of my mind, even if I have never played for them yet. My progress is good, and I am here at a big club in Newcastle with a great manager who also asked me what my ambitions were and posed the same question. I told him I’d love to play for France.
“And so if I want to do that, I need to do better things in training and in games – I need to do well for my club. But for me, at present, the most important thing is to start for Newcastle and to put in good performances for the team.
“I’m always learning and will certainly continue to do so. Now I can say I am playing at a level where I can be very proud, and if I really want to kick on and go further, I am in the very best place to do that.”
