Newcastle sign £10m Cisse

The Senegal international has signed a five-and-a-half-year deal after flying in for talks, with the clubs reportedly settling on a fee of around £10 million.

Cisse, 26, joins international team-mate Demba Ba, who left for the African Cup of Nations having scored 15 goals to date this season, on the Magpies' books.

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew admitted that Cisse had been his main target for some time.

"Ever since Andy Carroll left, Papiss was my first choice in the specific role he has at the end of the play," he said.

"He is a finisher with an already-established CV in the Bundesliga, where we have monitored him for the best part of two years.

"Unfortunately he was out of reach, financially, for us in the summer, but it recently became apparent that Derek Llambias and Lee Charnley could do the deal in this window.

"It has become obvious this season that the team and the Club have done exceptionally well, and Mike Ashley has backed me to bring this player to the Club.

"In the short-term, of course, he is at the Africa Cup of Nations, but the competition he will bring to our squad when he joins up with us should inspire the players and reassure them of this Club's ambition."

The player himself was thrilled to make the move.

"I would like to thank everybody for their welcome, and for inviting me to sign for the Club," said Cisse, who will wear the number nine shirt.

"It is an honour to play for such a big club and I am looking forward to it. I want to pay back the confidence the Club have shown in me, and give the supporters something to be proud of.

"I am aware of the huge importance of the number nine shirt, and when I spoke with the manager he made it very clear how important this shirt is. I will treat it with the respect and I hope to do my very best in this shirt."

Cisse became available following Cologne frontman Sebastien Freis's arrival at Freiburg, and while Ba has been linked with a move away from Tyneside this month Pardew suggested that Cisse's signing could help keep the forward at St James' Park.

"I spoke to Demba about Papiss, and he cannot wait to join up with his teammate in Newcastle," said the manager.