Newcastle Sign Cisse

[S.E.Arising]

BBC Sport - Newcastle United sign striker Papiss Demba Cisse

[IrishManc.]

The reports on him sound very good. Marcotti reckons it will be a tremendous signing. It will only increase Newcastles chances of keeping Demba Ba.

[Sideshow Bob]

Or is Cisse a replacement for Ba?

[IrishManc.]

Perhaps. Hope not though. The only way Newcastle are going to improve is by keeping their best players - like Tottenham have shown. Newcastle have a good base of young players there to build a very good team. The likes of Krul, Santon, Ben Arfa have big futures

[Sideshow Bob]

Yep, fair points. Ba's future will depend on his release clause.

[Sideshow Bob]

What a debut goal for Cisse. Given had no chance.

[Sideshow Bob]

What an inspired signing Cisse is proving to be.

[IrishManc.]

7 in 7 for Cisse. Missed the game but I've watched the highlights - 2nd goal really well taken. Graham Carr is some scout. Newcastle have changed their formation to 4-3-3 with Ben Arfa, Ba and Cisse casuing havoc up top. If they keep their best players this summer and improve their squad (first 11 doesn't need much improvement) they will have a shot at fighting for the top 4 next season.

[IrishManc.]

Papiss Cisse take a boow. What class finishes, especially the 2nd. Don't know how Newcastle are winning this though, Swansea have had all the play.

[Sideshow Bob]

Does anyone know the actual fee for Cisse? Whatever it was Newcastle have got themselves a real bargain.

[se7en]

Around £9m

[Speedy]

Brilliant signing. Newcastle have been getting great value for money over the last 2 seasons.

[Sideshow Bob]

Just watched both goals. Wow, wow, wow! The first goal was class but the second is something else. Crouch's goal or Cisse's second for goal of the season?

As Speedy asked in the Premer League thread, how come the whole of Europe wasn't after Cisse?

[IrishManc.]

I'd go for Cisse's. Both great hits though.

Newcastle got him at a good time. Most teams consolidate in January but Newcastle freed up 10 million at the start of the month and Pardew was incisive. It wasn't planned to move for him as there wasn't expected to be funds available. It was a bold move - Ba was free-scoring and there's good back-up strikers so Pardew could just as easily took that 10 million and improved a few other positions.

Think other teams were looking at him in the summer but as I say in January not many teams have the funds. Also the African Cup of Nations was coming up which may have turned teams off.

Fantastic bit of business though - Ba, Cisse, Tiote, Cabaye, Ben Arfa and Santon's combined transfer fee is less than the 35 million Liverpool paid for Andy Carroll.