Bigirimana believes relegation could be good for Newcastle

Newcastle United midfielder Gael Bigirimana has made a bold claim that relegation from the Premier League could benefit the club in the long run.

The St James' Park outfit sit two points clear of the drop zone with three games left to play, having gone on an eight-match losing streak.

"This might put me in trouble but you look at what happened to Southampton five or six years ago," Bigirimana told Sky Sports News in reference to Southampton's fall to League One before returning to the Premier League last season.

"Sometimes as a club you need everything to be reviewed – its foundation and the structure.

"I don't want them to go down and get relegated. Nobody wants that to happen, but it's all about the future."

Bigirimana is nearing the end of a loan deal with Scottish Championship side Rangers, for whom he is yet to feature due to illness.