The Jets are due to face third tier outfit Cartagena FC on Saturday (Sunday 3am AEST), having arrived in Spain earlier this week.

Newcastle will also meet Getafe who finished eighth in La Liga last term on Wednesday (Thursday 3am AEST) and third tier Real Murcia on Friday (Saturday 3am AEST).

"Cartagena used to be a big team and just missed out on promotion in the playoffs, but they're building for the future so the quality and skill level is very high," Merrick said.

"It'd be easy to play a defensive game and keep the goals against down but we're going to play very open football, work on our possession skills, getting forward and seeing if we can cause some problems in our attacking third.

"If we just sit back we won't learn anything."

The entire Jets squad is in Murcia, Spain, for the training camp including Ronald Vargas who is building up his fitness and Dimitri Petratos for a break after the 2018 World Cup.

Newcastle already travelled to Haikou, China, last month for two pre-season games, winning 2-0 over Shanghai Shenhua and drawing 1-1 with Changchun Yatai before a 3-1 shootout win.

"We've been training now for two-three weeks," Merrick said.

"We've played some matches in China. we're keen to step up but not overdo it.

"We'll enjoy the facilities but we're going to work hard. If we're going to step up from last season, pre-season is going to be very tough."

Speaking about the Cartagena clash, Merrick added: "We'll probably make a lot of substitutions at half-time.

"We dont want to push the boys too hard. We're working on keeping possesion which we didn't do very well in China.

"To have all the boys here is a big plus for us. I don't know how (Jets CEO) Lawrie McKinna keeps pulling it off.

"To have a pre-season training camp in a place like this is first class."