Thursday 9 February 2017 13:49, UK
Cheick Tiote has finally completed his move from Newcastle to Chinese second division side Beijing Enterprises, the Sky Bet Championship club have announced.
The protracted transfer was formally concluded on Thursday morning when the 30-year-old Ivory Coast midfielder ended his six-and-a-half-year stay at St James' Park.
A Newcastle statement read: "The club can now confirm that Cheick Tiote has joined Chinese second-tier side Beijing Enterprises for an undisclosed fee.
"The deal was formally completed on Thursday morning, bringing an end to the Ivorian midfielder's six-and-a-half-year Newcastle career."
Tiote, who arrived at St James' Park in a £3.5m move from Dutch club FC Twente in August 2010, made 156 senior appearances for the Magpies, but only played three times this season with two of those coming in the FA Cup.
He scored just one goal, but it was one to remember as his stunning volley capped a remarkable fightback in a 4-4 Premier League draw with Arsenal in February 2011 - when Newcastle came from 4-0 down at half-time.
Tiote was linked with moves to Arsenal and Manchester United as he helped Newcastle finish in fifth place at the end of the 2011/12 season.
But his influence waned thereafter and he had seen proposed moves to Turkey, Spain, Russia and the Middle East break down during recent transfer windows.
Although Tiote will be playing in the Chinese second division, he joins Carlos Tevez, Odion Ighalo, Oscar, Axel Witsel and Alexandre Pato in recent moves to China.
Tevez's debut for Shanghai Shenhua ended in a humiliating defeat as they became the first Chinese Super League side to be eliminated in the Asian Champions League play-offs, losing 2-0 to Brisbane Roar.
