Jonjo Shelvey believes joining Newcastle United was the “best decision he’s ever made”, according to former Liverpool team-mate Charlie Adam.

The 25-year-old England international moved to St James’ Park in a £12million deal in January 2016 and, despite being relegated with the Magpies five months later, Shelvey played a crucial role in helping Newcastle achieve promotion as Championship winners last season.

Shelvey was born in London, made his breakthrough for Charlton Athletic, and enjoyed stints at Liverpool and Swansea City - as well as a brief spell on loan at Blackpool - before joining Newcastle.

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Yet, interestingly, during a discussion about whether clubs in ‘less-fashionable areas’ such as Newcastle or Swansea struggle to attract the best players when compared with London-based outfits or the Manchester sides, Adam insists that is certainly not the case as far as Shelvey is concerned.

Instead, the Stoke City midfielder claims Shelvey has stressed to him on multiple occasions that his family love living in the North East.

“It’s a mentality thing,” Adam replied when asked about whether players prefer to play in London or Manchester to so-called ‘less-fashionable areas’ like Newcastle or Swansea during MOTD2 Extra on BBC Radio 5Live on Sunday.

“I speak to Jonjo Shelvey, and he loves it up in Newcastle - and he’s a London boy. He says: ‘It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.’

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“His family loves it, his kids love it, and it’s just different and I think a lot of the foreign players find it difficult because London is a big attraction, Manchester is a big attraction.

“But, listen, when you get an opportunity to go and play in the Premier League, it doesn’t matter where you play - Swansea, Newcastle, wherever - it should be a privilege and an honour to play in the Premier League.”