Newcastle United pulled off a superb piece of transfer business for Freiburg striker Papiss Demba Cisse, it has been revealed.

The Sunday Sun says despite all of the talk, Newcastle's January transfer hit-list included just THREE strikers - all foreign-based, all within their grasp.

Lille striker Moussa Sow, now off to Fenerbahce, was joined by Cisse and Paris Saint Germain forward Mevlut Erdinc.

Newcastle made discreet enquiries about Erdinc, but he proved too expensive and again his agent's demands hardly helped United as they looked to finally land their No 9 to replace Andy Carroll.

Rattled by hearing Newcastle might move on from Cisse, his advisors were back in touch.

They had been talking to Fulham, but United was the move he always wanted and Newcastle's intervention was a game changing moment.