Newcastle sign Argentine striker Facundo Ferreyra

London: Argentinian striker Facundo Ferreyra on Sunday completed a move to Newcastle United after joining foreign stars who refused to play with Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk because of the country’s conflict.

The English Premier League side said they had signed the 23-year-old on a season long loan.

“I like the Premier League and when I knew that Newcastle were interested in me, it was a very easy decision to make,” Ferreyra said in a Newcastle statement.

Ferreyra was one of six foreign players at Donetsk who had refused to return to the country after a friendly game in France in July.

The other five were Brazilians and at least one, Douglas Costa, has also been linked to a move to the English Premier League.

Four Argentinians playing for Metalist Kharkiv have also refused to go back to their club.

The crash of a Malaysian Airlines jet in eastern Ukraine, where government forces are battling separatist rebels, has heightened fears among foreigners in the country, including the football stars.

Ferreyra had struggled to get a regular first team place at Donetsk after joining from Argentinian side Velez Sarsfeld in 2013.