Sissoko And Gouffran Can Help Thauvin "Settle In Quickly" At Newcastle, Claims Waddle

Former Newcastle United and Marseille winger Chris Waddle believes the French contingent already on Tyneside can help the Magpies' latest signing Florian Thauvin "settle in" quickly. Thauvin completed his £14 million move from Marseille on Wednesday - with Remy Cabella heading in the opposite direction on a one-year loan that will likely turn into a permanent deal - and the French winger has signed a five-year contract with the Magpies. And, although Waddle fears that Thauvin will struggle to get used to the dramatic weather conditions in the North East of England, he believes the likes of Moussa Sissoko and Yoan Gouffran can help the Frenchman to comes to terms with life in Newcastle.

"He€™s (Thauvin's) been used to training in the late-20s and early-30s (degrees Celsius) in the last few months. It€™s still about that now (in France). "In Marseille you get a good six or seven months weather a year. He will get gale-force winds here, lots of rain and snow. I didn€™t see any when I was in Marseille! "They make sure they drink plenty of water and get all the vitamins in France. I always felt in English football it was more about cups of teas and coffees! "It€™s just a different way. It€™s the reverse move to mine, but I didn€™t have any English players around me when I went. "People like Jean-Pierre Papin were a big help to me because he spoke very good English. "But that was a minority, at Newcastle he has a lot of French players around him like Sissoko, Gouffran and others. "That will help him settle in quicker than if he€™d been the first Frenchman going in."