Newcastle striker Leon Best vows to stay at club despite being told he can leave

Leon Best,Newcastle United(Getty Images)

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Newcastle United striker Leon Best has vowed to stay at the club and fight for a place in the starting line-up.

The Republic of Ireland international has fallen further down the pecking order with the Magpies following the arrival of Demba Ba on a free transfer from West Ham.

This led to Best being told by the club that they are open to offers for him, but the 24-year-old has stressed that he is willing to battle to stay where he is.

“I have been in this position time and time again,” he told The Chronicle.

“I have to look back at last season for confidence.

“I think people know I can do it in the Premier League now and it’s about fighting for my position.”

Best admitted he gets on with Ba and, rather than seeing his arrival as the end of his Newcastle spell, would want to play alongside or keep the Senegalese out of manager Alan Pardew’s first-team plans.

He added: “There’s a new striker in who I already get on very well with and I would be delighted to play alongside him, or fight him for a place.

“Competition for places brings the best out of a team – I have always believed that.”

Best joined the St James’ Park outfit in the 2010 winter transfer window but has struggled to establish himself.