Papiss Cisse has said he "will never forget" Newcastle's fans after leaving the club to join Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng.

The striker said on Twitter: "I will be back as a supporter alongside them one day. Every goal I scored in that famous number nine shirt was for them."

Cisse, 31, leaves for an undisclosed fee following a four-and-a-half year spell at St James' Park.

A Senegal international, he scored 44 goals in 131 games for Newcastle.

Cisse, who joined the Magpies from German club Freiburg, scored three times during the 2015-16 season, which ended with Newcastle being relegated to the Championship despite a late upturn in form under Rafael Benitez.

He added: "I hope that the team are quickly back in the Premier League.

"We had some great times together and hopefully under Rafa those times will return."

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.