Flo ready for Royals rumble

The 23-year-old joined the Magpies a week ago following a successful trial last summer, putting pen to paper on a one-year deal.

The Frenchman will link up with United's under-23 squad this term and after signing his first professional contract, is fully determined to make an immediate impression.

"I am very happy and proud to be a Newcastle United player," Indalecio told nufc.co.uk. "I know it's a really big club and a big opportunity for me.

"I know I have to play very well with the under-23s as I have a one-year contract but I want to try and progress very far and as quickly as possible. I know I have to work very hard in training.

"I usually play as a number eight or ten but even if I have to play another position, I will always try to do my best for the team.

"I've received a lot of messages of support from the fans because I know my story is very different. I never stop working hard and I said if someone gave me an opportunity one day, I would try to do my best for this second opportunity."

Newcastle United Under-23s take on their Reading counterparts at the Bearwood Park Training Ground (kick-off 1pm GMT), aiming to bounce back from last week's 1-0 Division Two defeat at West Bromwich Albion.

A good friend of Allan Saint-Maximin's, Indaelcio was handed his under-23s debut against the Baggies as a first-half substitute and is now targeting a first win with his new club ahead of the lengthy journey to Berkshire.

The Frenchman added: "I'm very focussed on the game against Reading. It is going to be a long trip, about six hours, so I don't want to go there to just play and either draw or lose.

"We need to win to get three points and hopefully bring more confidence to the team for the following game.

"I was very happy to play for the first time. I was on the bench and Stan Flaherty was injured after 20 minutes so I was playing on the right wing. We had a lot of chances against West Brom but it was frustrating because we just couldn't score."

Indalecio's journey to Tyneside has been nothing short of admirable especially after facing a life-threatening setback one year after his release from hometown club AS Saint-Étienne at the age of 15.

"I used to play for St. Étienne in their Academy," the 23-year-old said. "My team was very good, the best in France at under-13 level, and we won the league. 

"After that, I continued to play for them but the club stopped my contract when I got to the under-15s. I left to find another professional club but it's wasn't easy to find one.

"I have a lot of regrets from before. I think I was too young when I left St. Étienne. I was not very mature. 

"I played for a club in my city when I was 16 but then found out I had a tumour in my knee. The doctor told me I had to have surgery.

"It was hard for me, very difficult. I was in my house for a month and a half and I had a brace on my leg. After that, I was going to the physiotherapist everyday, doing rehabilitation work about two times a day for maybe six to eight months.

"I was in the gym a lot because I lost most of the muscle in my leg when I stayed at home. I put on about 13 kilograms in one year and I was coming back stronger to restart football."

Following a strenuous effort to full recovery, Indalecio ventured out to the United States in the pursuit of a professional contract but proved unsuccessful, returning to his native country before then heading Down Under in 2019.

He said: "I went to the USA to find something good but I ended up back in France before I went to Sydney in Australia two years ago.

"In Australia, with the Visa, it's not easy to play football at the best level. In the second or third division, you can only have two players from overseas that can play in the team. The rules were terrible.

"I had a trial in NPL1, which was the second division. The club wanted to sign me but it was at the end of the season so they said 'Come back next year'. My Visa was only for one year and if you wanted another one, you had to do farm work for 88 days. It was very complicated."

Whilst playing part-time football for Australian fourth tier side Fraser Park FC in Sydney, Indalecio also balanced two jobs in construction which included outrageous working hours in tricky conditions.

"I used to do a lot of labouring jobs in Australia," he said. "When I first came to Australia my friend said to me 'They need labourers for bricklayers'. I knew it was a hard job to do, no one really wanted to do it, but because of that it was easy for me to find a job.

"I never worked in construction before I moved to Australia so I said 'OK, I will try it'. I never spoke any English either before I moved there so I just had to learn on the construction site with the people I met.  

"It was very tough because I would do that job first, then after to make more money and live better I had a second labouring job. The first one would be from 7am to 3pm. I would go back to my apartment, take a shower and then work at 6pm until 2am.

"I did this to help my family and my parents, especially my mum. It was hard because I would only sleep about three hours per day. 

"All year in Australia it is hot and I would be working in 30-35 degree heat. Sometimes you had no time to drink because the bricklayers would be asking for cement or bricks. I had a very strict boss so I learnt a lot from Australia. I know the real life when you wake up at half five in the morning and you go to work.

"I said to the club that I don't want to sign for fun or for the money. I really wanted to sign for Newcastle to prove that I can play one day at the highest level possible."

Following his return to Europe, Indalecio's full attention is now fixed on football and the attacking midfielder, who recently went viral after scoring an eye-catching overhead kick in training, revealed it has been a positive start with United's second-string.

"I'm enjoying my time here," Indalecio added. "I appreciate all my teammates and already have good relationships with them and the staff too.

"I'm feeling good in Newcastle and I am very happy to be here. I'm just focussed on playing football and I know the real work starts right now."