“These are intelligent fans here, I ain’t gotta tell them how good he is, they know. You lose great players, you lose Andy Cole here, you lose Alan Shearer, Gary Speed, people like that come through the door, you love them and, unfortunately, for whatever reason, money or the end of their career, they drift away. But new stars emerge, Demba (Ba) was one for us he’s gone away now, and Sissoko has announced his arrival,” said Alan Pardew (Via NUFC-TV)

Fresh from his last-minute knock-out of European Champion’s Chelsea on Saturday, new Magpies signing Moussa Sissoko has high-flying Spurs in his sights next. He made an instant impact on his black and white debut at Villa Park setting up Papiss Cisse to score and followed it up with an unplayable two-goal performance against Chelsea that truly announced his arrival to the black and army and Premier League. The 6ft 2in 23-year-old France international built on a growing reputation as one of the world game’s hottest prospects as he matched and beat the world’s best.

The all-action, box-to-box midfielder who has been dubbed ‘The French Yaya Toure’ and likened to Patrick Vieria, is a France international of Malian stock. He learned his football trade at Lique One club Toulouse and under Manager Alain Casanova, established himself as a first team regular in 2008-09 in a defensive midfield role before a six goal start in the first 12 games of the 2009-10 season demonstrated real attacking prowess.

Toulouse had already turned down a £15.5M bid from Spurs for his versatile services, slapping a €30 million price on him. Scouts from the world biggest clubs, from Manchester United to Inter watched this emerging talent yet Newcastle United’s player whisperer, Chief Scout Alan Carr, was ahead of the game and laid the groundwork over three years.

Alan Pardew’s mind was made up after only one game, he told The Journal,

“The game I first saw Moussa in was 14-16 months ago and I walked away that night wanting to get him there and then,”

Yet the patient, courting approach which has served The Magpies so well in recent years with the captures of Hatem Ben Arfa, Yohan Cabaye, Cheick Tiote and a host of others ensured his signature on a 6-and-a-half year-deal for £1.8M.

That he made such an impressive home debut against the Champions’ League Champions, scoring the equalizer and winning goal and tearing apart Ashley Cole, set to earn his 100th England Cap tonight against Brazil, indicates the best is yet to come for both club and country now he finally has a stage fitting for his awesome talents. The Geordie fans agreed with their manager’s assessment, singing in their droves,

“Mo Mo Mo He’s Magic, You know - You’ll Never Get Past Sissoko!”

Combining pace, power and a real natural competitor’s battling qualities with vision, goals and a footballer’s brain, he is the complete modern midfielder. While he brings the additional “working class grit” that Pardew’s midfield has been in need of an injection of since the departures of Nolan and Barton, the more defensive-minded role that led to a return of 20 goals in 192 games for Toulouse has given way to a new freedom in his initial games for Newcastle. It’s an attacking intent and new confidence that has borne instant results and Sissoko intends to take on to the international stage. Starting tonight by the Northern Echo when he is expected to earn his 7th cap for his country vs Germany,

Many positive things have happened to me recently and I hope I can bring that into the France team,” said the versatile midfielder. “I am very happy to be back in the squad. I feel much better than when I first joined up with the squad in my first few appearances. “I was young and shy then. I did not take risks. It was all about control. “Today, if I want to dribble I do. If they call me up it is to see my qualities.”

Sissoko set the agenda to force an early move from Toulouse to Tyneside and expect him to set the agenda in The Premier League and Europe now this “ real force of football” in Pardew’s words has been unleashed. Newcastle United have had some great number sevens in recent years, like Kevin Keegan and Robert Lee, and after the most exciting home debuts since Alan Shearer’s, Moussa Sissoko could be the very best yet.