Papiss Demba Cisse Is Newcastle United's New No. 9

Newcastle United completed their first deal of the January transfer window yesterday with the major £7.5 million signing of striker Papiss Demba Cisse from Bundesliga side Freiburg. The fee may end up being closer to £10 million when add-ons are included. Cisse hs signed a five and a half year deal at St. James's Park. 26 year-old Cisse, a previous summer target for Newcastle, is the Senegalese international team mate of Magpies goal machine Demba Ba who has been a revelation in the North East this season. He was paraded at Newcastle yesterday as the new Number 9, before rushing off to the African Cup of Nations where he will stay for the best part of the next month. In the German league he has scored an impressive 37 goals in 65 appearances, netting nine times this season which has done nothing but further enhance Newcastle€™s interest. Obviously the desire to field the two Demba€™s (Ba & Cisse) for club as well as country has Alan Pardew salivating at the mouth as he tries to guide his club back into Europe. All Newcastle fans hope and prey Cisse is a new partner for Ba and not a replacement and they will have welcomed the latest reports that Ba's release clause only applies in the summer transfer windows. Cisse told the official website yesterday; "I would like to thank everybody for their welcome, and for inviting me to sign for the club. 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." Alan Pardew said: "Ever since Andy Carroll left, Papiss was my first choice in the specific role he has at the end of the play. "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. "I would like to thank Mike, Derek and everyone involved for getting this deal over the line. I spoke to Demba about Papiss, and he cannot wait to join up with his teammate in Newcastle. "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. "Our fans know that this shirt brings its own pressures. One of the iconic numbers in world football - the number nine of Newcastle. "It will be only fair that Papiss is given time to understand the responsibility it brings. "As the manager, I wish him all the luck in the world to bring success to himself and this Club."