Newcastle news: Jamal Lewis explains why a loan to Sao Paulo is an advantage

Newcastle United left-back Jamal Lewis says his loan move to Sao Paulo was a “no-brainer” and hopes it will “pay off” for his career.

The 26-year-old, who struggled to get playing time at the Magpies and spent last season on loan at Watford, is the first British player to join the famous Brazilian side and will stay with them until the end of the season in December.

“Some people probably thought it was completely random and out of the blue – and I can't disagree with that,” Lewis said.

“But if Sao Paulo were interested in my profile as a player and I was interested in representing such a big club, it could be the start of a great journey.

“I've always been someone who tests myself. I never wanted to stay and then look back on my career and think, 'What if I had done that?' So I think it will pay off.

“My style of play is what they wanted in terms of advancing and playing the ball in the box. A lot of clubs use data these days; there's not as much guesswork in football anymore, so I hope I can show on the pitch what they've researched.”