Newcastle United transfer news: Rafa Benitez lands first signing as Antonio Barreca joins on loan

The 23-year-old left-back arrives on a short-term deal until the end of the season with an option to buy

Newcastle United have signed Italy Under-21 international Antonio Barreca on loan from Monaco until the end of the season, with an option to make the move permanent for the defender if it proves to be a successful one.

The left-back joins Newcastle after just half-a-season at Monaco, having made only seven appearance since completing a move from Serie A side Torino.

Although the 23-year-old fell out of first-team plans – spending most of the season with the Monaco II reserve side following the arrival of Thierry Henry manager – he believes he is perfectly suited to the Premier League and hopes to make a strong impression on the Magpies’ survival efforts over the next four months.

"I am very happy to be here. I have accepted this challenge with a great deal of enthusiasm and I can’t wait to start,” Barreca told NUTV.

"I know that Newcastle is a big and historic club. I know that the people here really love football and that the fans are really behind the team. I think that the Premier League is the best league, so for me this is further motivation to do well."

The move is the first of at least two planned signings on transfer deadline day, with Newcastle also looking to sign 24-year-old Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron, who could arrive in a potential club-record £20m deal.

It should also be enough to appease manager Rafa Benitez, who earlier in the week threatened to quit Newcastle before the end of the season unless reinforcements were brought in before Thursday’s 11pm deadline.

“The left-back/left-wing-back position is one we've been looking to strengthen for a while and he's an Italy under-21 international who we know has quality, good delivery and is good going forward,” Benitez said of Barreca’s arrival.

Antonio Barreca has joined Newcastle United until the end of the season on loan (Newcastle United)

"He has the attributes, he has the quality and he has the characteristics that we look for. Now we must see how quickly he can adapt, but we will try to help him and if he can give us more competition in this area, and more quality in the final third with his deliveries, the only thing I can see is a positive."