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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 this 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.
Ba who was born in the Paris suburb of Sevres and is one of
eight children began his career with Rouen.
