Lewis, Newcastle fullback, sheds light on decision to join Sao Paulo

"There were definitely other teams interested in me, but when Sao Paulo came calling, it was a no-brainer," the left-back explained. "Some may have seen it as unexpected, but when a prestigious club like Sao Paulo shows interest in you as a player, it's hard to turn down. I see this as a great opportunity and the beginning of an exciting new chapter in my career."

"I've always been one to test myself. I've never wanted to stay and then look back on my career and think, 'What if I did this?'. So I think this will pay dividends."

Lewis also said: "I think how I play is what they wanted in terms of getting forward and getting balls into the box," Lewis said. "I think a lot of clubs use data these days; there's not a lot of guesswork in football so hopefully I can show on the pitch what they have researched.

"Obviously the club is very historic. They are the most successful club in Brazil and even though I haven't stepped on to the pitch yet, the fans have shown the passion and love they have for their club. I'm just looking forward to putting on the strip and contributing as much as possible."