STARS IN ASIA - SENEGAL - CLUB - Cisse leaves Newcastle for China
Senegal Striker Papiss Cisse leaves Newcastle United after signing for Shandong Luneng in the Chinese Super League.
Papiss Cisse started six games, scoring once, after Rafa Benitez took over as Newcastle manager in March
The 31-year-old leaves for an undisclosed fee following a four-and-a-half-year spell at St James' Park.
Senegal international, Cisse scored 44 goals in 131 appearances for the Magpies after arriving from German club Freiburg.
He scored three times during the 2015-16 season, which ended with Newcastle being relegated to the Championship.
It has also been reported that Southampton forward Graziano Pelle will sign for Shandong Luneng, who are coached by ex-Fulham manager Felix Magath.
Cisse is the latest of a string of high-profile names to move to China both on and off the pitch.
Brazil forward Hulk recently joined Shanghai SIPG in a £46.1m (55.8m euros) transfer, eclipsing the £38.4m Asian transfer record set by Jiangsu Suning paid for compatriot Alex Teixeira last February.
Demba Ba, formerly of Newcastle and Chelsea, moved to Shanghai Shenhua in July 2015, while Jackson Martinez left Atletico Madrid to join Guangzhou for a then-Asian record £31m in early February 2016.
Shanghai SIPG are managed by ex-England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Football has gone crazy in China -
Former Netherlands midfielder and AC Milan manager Clarence Seedorf was named as head coach of second-tier side Shenzen FC earlier this week.
China
Senegal