£10m Cisse joins Senegal colleague Ba at Newcastle
NEWCASTLE last night completed the £10m signing of Senegal striker Papiss Cisse, in a move that will reunite him with international colleague Demba Ba.
The 26-year-old, who has scored 39 in 65 games since joining German outfit Freiburg two years ago, arrived on Tyneside last night to sign a contract thought to be for five and a half years. He will have to wait to make his Magpies debut, however, as he has been included in Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations squad – the tournament starts on Saturday in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
The move continues Newcastle’s policy of hunting for bargains in France and Germany.
Ba has been a huge hit at Newcastle since his summer free transfer from West Ham, scoring 15 goals in 19 games.
Like Cisse, he started out in France but made his name in Germany, with Hoffenheim, before leaving for the Hammers just 12 months ago.
Cisse’s arrival will increase speculation Ba could be offloaded, although manager Alan Pardew’s preference for fielding two strikers suggests they will be played upfront together.