Rayo Vallecano defender Florian Lejeune has shared his delight at the chance to take on Newcastle United, and potentially say a proper goodbye to the club.
Newcastle host the Spanish side in a friendly tomorrow as they continue their preparations for the Premier League’s return on Boxing Day.
The clash will see them reuniting with former player Lejeune, who departed St James’ Park for Alavés on loan in September 2020 and made the move a permanent the following year.
That brought an end to a three year stay with Newcastle, who he initially joined from Eibar in a €10m deal in July 2017 and went on to make 46 appearances for.
That number is low for a three-year spell, with Lejeune’s time in the Northeast ruined by injuries that limited his playing time.
That could have made the Frenchman bitter about his time as a Newcastle player, but it seems that is not the case, and he is instead looking forward to a reunion with his former club and teammates.
“It’s a friendly match but it’s full of excitement, pleasure and many other feelings for me,” he told Union Rayo.
“It will be great to meet some former team-mates with whom we had great times together. We shared a lot of laughs and many memories together.
“It’s no secret that Newcastle are one of the best clubs in England and the fans have always been second to none. I could never begin to thank them enough for the wonderful support they have always given us and given me personally.
“Unfortunately, I never got the chance to say goodbye to them there, so I sincerely hope I get the chance to do so this week.
“I will also never forget the away end at Goodison Park when I scored my brace.”
