At first Andros Townsend treats the question with the sort of tentative caution that would fail to carry him beyond the most limited full-back. Then, after a few diplomatic platitudes, the England winger bins all false modesty and reveals his real feelings.

Newcastle United’s new £12m signing from Tottenham Hotspur has just been asked if he was worth that transfer fee. “It’s for you to decide,” he begins. “It’s a lot of money. I know that … but if I can reach my potential and play to the ability I know I have then I’m sure that those people who are saying it’s a lot of money for me will quickly be saying it was a bargain. If I put in a few good performances it will look like money well spent.”

Steve McClaren is hoping for similarly startling changes of pace and touches of on-pitch swagger from a player who acknowledges he has much to prove after swapping Tottenham’s deep freeze for the St James’ Park spotlight.

“I’ve got a massive point to prove now and hopefully Newcastle will benefit from that,” says a 24-year-old frozen out by Mauricio Pochettino. “My last full 90 minutes in the Premier League was just under two years ago so I’ve not played consistently in a long time.

“But the last time I played nine or 10 successive Premier League games I was kind of setting the world alight. I can’t wait to get a run of games and consistency going, and hopefully get back to that level. I have faith in my ability. I’m the same player and the same person that was tipped as a big England prospect. Physically, I’m in the best shape of my life but I haven’t had a run of games since 2013.”

McClaren trusts Townsend’s attempts to relaunch his career in time to force his way into England’s Euro 2016 squad will serve as a catalyst, helping Newcastle avoid relegation. “I’m looking to become even better than before,” says the winger who is likely to be deployed on the left but can operate on both flanks. “I feel I’m more mature – and that Newcastle’s the right stage to showcase my ability.”

Doing so will involve McClaren’s third January recruit – Jonjo Shelvey and Henri Saivet are the others – embarking on a mission to ensure Newcastle escape the bottom three. “I’m confident we have the ability to stay up,” says Townsend. “It’s not going to be easy but, if you look around the dressing room, it’s got to fill you with confidence. These players are good enough. I wouldn’t have joined otherwise. I’m extremely confident – and the manager’s confident – we can climb the table.”

Should Newcastle’s fortunes revive, images of France in June will start coming into ever sharper focus, although Townsend is adamant they are not on his immediate horizon. “Roy Hodgson’s always had faith in my ability and included me in squads,” he says. “Every time he’s put me on the pitch, I’ve repaid that faith. But I need to take baby steps. I’ve not played in the Premier League for a couple of months now. I need to focus solely on Newcastle and Premier League survival. If I can do that and score a few goals along the way, hopefully the England stuff will come off the back of that.”

McClaren welcomed him with a special film. “We had a sit-down and went through my strengths and weaknesses and then he showed me a 10-minute video of exactly what he wants me to bring to the team,” reveals a Londoner hoping to emulate the exploits of his boyhood hero David Ginola on Tyneside. “It surprised me; I’ve never had that before. But it just shows how much homework the manager does.”

Amid all the excitement about the future, Townsend makes it clear he would have preferred to leave Spurs differently. Demoted to the Under-21s after a row with Nathan Gardiner, a fitness coach, following a win against Aston Villa in early November, he quickly learned there would be no way back under Pochettino.

“I’d been at Spurs for 16 years, the best part of my life, so to leave was obviously a sad moment,” he says. “When you’re not playing you do suffer but the manager had no problem with me on a personal level. He made his decision professionally. Obviously I don’t agree but Tottenham are flying high so I can’t argue. Unfortunately the first team were in Barcelona when I left so I didn’t manage to speak to him before coming here but I hold no grudges with the manager.”

The same goes for Gardiner. “That’s done and dusted,” Townsend says. “There was an incident but the next time I saw him we laughed about it, shook hands and just let it go. The club disciplined me but I don’t think it had any bearing on my exclusion from the first-team squad.”

Instead he believes Pochettino had already made his mind up about him as a footballer but hints that Daniel Levy harboured a different view. “The chairman called me this morning, wished me all the best for the future and said I’d be welcome back at Tottenham any time,” he says. “That was nice of him. It didn’t end well and I left Tottenham with a heavy heart but I know the chairman still believes in me.”