Soccer: Newcastle have completed the signing of Manchester United winger Gabriel Obertan on a five-year contract.

Obertan, whose first team chances with United were limited during his two years with them, is relishing the prospect of regular football with Newcastle.

"I have come here with a lot of ambition," he told Sky Sports News. "I just want to play football."

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew was delighted to have landed a long-term transfer target.

He said: "It's good news for us. He is a player we have been after for some time. With Wayne Routledge moving on there was an opportunity to bring him in. With his pace, power and versatility he is going to be an important player for us."

The 22-year-old French player moved to Old Trafford from Bordeaux in the summer of 2009.

It has been a troubled pre-season for Newcastle with fans unhappy at the lack of activity in the transfer market in the wake of the £35million sale of striker Andy Carroll to Liverpool.

Newcastle responded to criticism of the board by midfielder Joey Barton on his Twitter account by telling him he was free to find a new club despite having a year left on his contract.

Now Pardew has been able to invest some of the Carroll money and is hopeful of adding another striker to his squad before the transfer window closes.

"We certainly need to bring in a striker," he said. "We are aware of that and we are working hard on that."