Ba joins Magpies

Demba Ba
12 April 2012

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has made his second summer transfer breakthrough by finally landing Senegal striker Demba Ba.

The 26-year-old former West Ham frontman's move to St James' Park was rubber-stamped on Friday afternoon, the Barclays Premier League club have confirmed.

The arrival of Ba, who scored seven times in 13 appearances for the Hammers during the second half of last season, comes 24 hours after Magpies skipper Kevin Nolan headed for Upton Park in a deal believed to be worth in the region of £4million.

Pardew said: "Demba made a great impression with West Ham last season and is a great signing for this club.

"He has pace, excellent technical ability, is good in the air and, it goes without saying, has the ability to consistently find the back of the net. Moreover he has a great passion to play for Newcastle United."

Newcastle beat off competition from a series off other suitors to land the former Hoffenheim player as Pardew looks to increase his options in attack. The player seemed to be heading for Stoke in January until he failed a medical on a knee problem and was snapped up by the Hammers.

Despite his best efforts to keep the Londoners in the Premier League, they were relegated at the end of last season, but not before he had proved both his fitness and his prowess in front of goal.

Ba arrived on Tyneside on Thursday as the Magpies' dogged pursuit neared its conclusion, and was able to convince the club's medics that his knee will not be an issue.

He joins Yohan Cabaye in heading for St James' this summer, although is not necessarily a direct replacement for Andy Carroll, who left for Liverpool in January, with Pardew running the rule over a series of other targets.

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