DeAndre Yedlin comments on Newcastle move after Sunderland spell

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Newcastle United defender DeAndre Yedlin had a loan spell at Sunderland.

DeAndre Yedlin has admitted to The Sun that he did think about the rivalry between Newcastle United and Sunderland before joining the Magpies from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2016.

Yedlin joined Newcastle from Tottenham in the summer of 2016 for a transfer fee reported by The Daily Mail to be worth £5 million.

The USA international right-back spent the 2015-16 season on loan at Sunderland and did relatively well during his spell at the Black Cats.

Newcastle and Sunderland are bitter rivals, and the 24-year-old has admitted that he did think about the rivalry between the two teams before making the switch to the Magpies.

Yedlin told The Sun: “The rivalry was definitely in my mind — ‘Is it the right thing to do?’. But I had to be selfish and think about what’s best for my career.

“Looking back, it was a great step for me. Obviously the chance to work with Rafa, there’s not really a better situation I could be in.”

Quality player

Yedlin struggled to make an impact during his time at Tottenham, but the former Seattle Sounders FC star has established himself as an important player for Newcastle.

The 24-year-old made 21 starts in the Championship for Newcastle last season and have started 25 times in the Premier League for the Magpies so far this campaign.

Working with former Liverpool and Swansea City manager Rafael Benitez has helped the American right-back improve his game, and he can only get better.