Pardew: "We Can Threaten The Best"

By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor

Alan Pardew believes Newcastle United now boast some of the best attacking players in the Premier League, after completing the signing of Monaco's Emmanuel Rivière.

The French forward is the fifth new recruit of the summer, as the squad is reshaped ahead of the 2014/15 campaign.

With the exception of central midfielder Jack Colback, the Magpies' other arrivals - rookie striker Ayoze Perez, former Ajax captain Siem de Jong, French flyer Remy Cabella, and Rivière - offer a real threat in the final third.

And Pardew is excited for the new season, which is just over four weeks away.

"This is an important signing because we know that in the striking department, with Papiss (Cisse) injured, we needed to improve that area," he told nufc.co.uk.

"We have looked at Emmanuel for a while and we know he will score goals for us.

"Now we have an offensive line that will threaten the best Premier League sides with Emmanuel, Remy Cabella and Siem de Jong all on board.

"And that is great because our first game of the season is Manchester City, so we need to be up and running straight away."

Former France under-21 international Rivière has spent his whole career to date in his homeland, with Saint-Étienne, Toulouse and Monaco.

But Pardew is confident the 24-year-old will be a hit on Tyneside.

"He is quick, hungry for success and will love having 50,000 Geordies cheering him on and singing his name," explained the boss.

"It is a different type of atmosphere here at Newcastle to what he experienced at Monaco, and that will excite him - it will lift him.

"Emmanuel is still only a young player and has time to learn and improve, and hopefully can be a real star at this Club."

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