Newcastle United legend David Ginola says the team lacks a Geordie core.

The 48-year-old used the Magpies as an example but he was actually talking about the state of Premier League football in general, suggesting that every single English football club needs a core of local players in the dressing room.

He told BT Sport: “When I signed for Newcastle United, in the dressing room there were at least three Geordie guys.

“They were probably the youngest ones, but they brought into the dressing room the philosophy of the North East of England.

“Why am I saying that as a Frenchman and as a guy from Saint Tropez? Because I arrived from Paris, I was playing for Paris Saint-Germain, and I realised straight away where I was (in Newcastle).

“The culture, the tradition, everything was in the dressing room.

“So when I was playing and wearing the zebra shirt, playing for the Magpies, I knew exactly where I was.

“And that's the main problem at the moment – players signing for clubs (now) don't know where they are."