Newcastle have completed the signing of midfielder Nabil Bentaleb on loan from Schalke 04 until the end of the season with an option to make the deal permanent.
The 25-year-old midfielder, who represented his country at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2015 and 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, has previously played in the Premier League for Tottenham Hotspur.
He made 66 appearances for the North London club - scoring his only goal against Newcastle in a League Cup tie in December 2014 - before moving to Schalke, initially on loan, in August 2016.
Bentaleb has made 97 appearances for the Bundesliga side, scoring 19 times, and has played in the Champions League for Die Königsblauen.
He told nufc.co.uk: "I'm very happy to come back to the Premier League, especially with a club such as Newcastle.
"The project really interested me. I wanted absolutely to come back to the Premier League. The coach had some trust in me and the club also - I saw that straight away - and I think it's the perfect move for me."
Newcastle United head coach Steve Bruce said: "He's somebody who I paid particular attention to when he was at Spurs, when he broke through and got a big money move to Germany.
"He's played at the highest level now for the last four or five years but he will come in hungry and feeling he has something to prove and will give us the competition we obviously need.
"With the numbers that we've got at the minute, he's got a bit of experience and I think people will enjoy watching him play. He'll come into the squad and I'm sure he'll be a good acquisition for us.
"The fact that he's played in the Premier League before helps, because we know that he can play and knows what the demands of the Premier League are. He's gone from the Premier League to Schalke and played in the Champions League as well, so we're delighted to get him. It's a great signing."
Yecbdemotz
1
good luck Bentaleb
godwinosy
1
nice one
kundimtu
1
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haaland at right midfield..are u mad bro..where's mane..
badaipsy
1
lol meanwhile united struggled to even agree with fernandes
Fesdnpsz
0
Tutaeiuyz
2
best of luck nabil
Ritikmpsyz
0
great signing
Kelvindeandremutama
1
Arsenal weren't linked with him😒
licilrst
3
chaiiiiiiii so he was 19yrs when playing spurs???? Wooooow at spurs he looks like my uncle who was 37!!!!! Footballers will kill us with their football age ooo
loneavenger
0
oh Manchester United what a great club
😐 Woodward's at the wheel
loneavenger
0
best of luck
how good is he??
loneavenger
2
good luck bentaleb
ishti
1
Very good player. ManUtd would have probably taken Two years to complete the signing.
Hezceikp
2
What a great player I love Newcastle
Buschester-United
0
oh Manchester United what a great club
rae---233
17
Newcastle are really going for it this window... Can't wait to see bentaleb and shelvey in midfield together
buscimpsy
2
best of luck
nodroppoint
2
great signing not like man United only signing rumors for their club