Davide Santon expects more Italian arrivals in English football

Newcastle United full-back Davide Santon has revealed that it was not a difficult decision to move from Italy to England.

Santon was one of just five Italian players that began the season at a Premier League club, but he has insisted that more will follow in the near future.

"There have not been too many people from Italy that have come to the Premier League, but I think you will see it more and more in the future," he told the Northern Echo.

"The status of the leagues in Europe is changing, and at the moment, people are looking at the Premier League and seeing it as the best league in the world. That attracts people to come.

"When I came last year, I knew it was an unusual thing for an Italian player to do, but it was not a hard decision to make. Mario Balotelli did the same thing, and now you have Fabio Borini as well at Liverpool. It is becoming more and more common."

Santon is expected to feature in Newcastle's match at Reading on Saturday afternoon.