Newcastle full-back Davide Santon has completed a loan move back to former club Inter.

The 24-year-old Italian will spend the remainder of the campaign at Inter, who have an option to buy him outright during the summer.

A club statement said: “Newcastle United can confirm that Davide Santon has joined Inter Milan on loan for the remainder of the 2014-15 campaign with an option to buy at the end of the season. The 24-year-old Italian defender joined the Magpies from the same club in

Santon, who arrived on Tyneside as a £5 million signing, has made only one senior appearance since damaging his knee in April last year, and with Daryl Janmaat holding down the right-back spot and Paul Dummett and Massadio Haidara competing on the left, has been allowed to move on.

He revealed his impending departure early on Monday morning via his Facebook page, although later deleted the post after Newcastle insisted no deal had been struck.

In it, he said: “Life is strange. I would never have imagined to come back.

“I wanted to thank Newcastle and all the fans for these three and a half years together. We have spent so many good times. This city and this team will always remain in my heart.”