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Former Newcastle United flop Luuk de Jong insists he struggled to show his “qualities” at St James’ Park because Alan Pardew played him out of position.

In fact, De Jong believes Pardew deployed him as a No 10, rather than in his favoured striking role, to fill the void left by Yohan Cabaye - who had just been sold to Paris Saint-Germain for £20million.

The 25-year-old joined the Magpies on loan from Borussia Monchengladbach for the second half of the 2013-14 campaign, but failed to score in 12 Premier League outings.

Since leaving St James’ Park, the Dutch international has fired in 50 goals in just 79 appearances for PSV Eindhoven.

Not only does he lead the Eredivisie scoring charts this term with 18 goals, he also starred in the PSV side who now-Magpie Georginio Wijnaldum captained to the Dutch title last season.

But De Jong struggled during his six months on Tyneside; he was short on form after a disastrous injury-hit spell at Monchengladbach, he joined a Magpies side who were losing regularly, and he was often played in midfield by Pardew rather than in his preferred position up front.

And it is the final factor which De Jong believes most contributed to his St James’ Park woes.

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“I came to Newcastle and everybody knows I’m a striker but they just sold Cabaye to Paris Saint-Germain,” the Dutch international told the BBC World Service.

“The manager back then Pardew, he saw me playing at FC Twente as a No 10 and he gave me the opportunity to play there behind the striker.

“For me it’s not a problem to play behind a striker, but if you’re playing in an attacking team then it’s okay because I can come a lot into the box of the opponent.

“But back then Newcastle we weren’t playing very good as a team so it was also a tough time for me.

“I had to go back a lot and defend in our own box because he probably put me out of position because he knows I do my job when I play.

“It doesn’t matter where the trainer or manager puts me in the team I will always do my job for the team because I’m a team player.

“But maybe that was negative for me because I had to play as a No 10 rather than as a striker, where I want to show my qualities.

“I never had the chance to show my qualities as a striker.”