Siem de Jong rates his first year with Newcastle United as the worst season of his career.

De Jong was hailed as a major coup for the Magpies but he's spent most of the campaign on the sidelines after sustaining a serious thigh injury and then suffering a collapsed lung which required emergency surgery.

"This has been the worst season of my career and it's been very difficult," he said.

"When you come to a new club, you want to prove yourself to the team and fans straight away but I've not been able to do that."