Premier League: Cheick Tiote says he remains committed to Newcastle

Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote has denied he wants to leave the club and says he is as committed to the cause as he has ever been.

The 28-year-old was the subject of a rejected transfer bid from Lokomotiv Moscow over the summer and has also been linked with Arsenal.

And quotes emerged on Wednesday from the media in Tiote’s native Ivory Coast saying he wanted to leave Newcastle, who are second from bottom of the Premier League table after a bad start to the season.

But Tiote told the Newcastle website on Thursday: “I saw the quotes that appeared yesterday, but they are not accurate.

"Yes, there was some interest in me over the summer, and that can be a bit distracting, but nothing came of it. I'm back to full fitness and only thinking about doing my best for the team.

“We are not in a good position in the league right now and I want to get us up to where we should be. I am as committed as I have ever been to Newcastle."

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew also played down the suggestion that Tiote is discontented.

"When a player goes to their own country, and that can be Africa, France, Holland, we always seem to get misquoted versions of events, and this is one of those cases,” he said.

"His last two performances have been world class, for a team that that hasn't been functioning as it should be. That says it all for me. He's a terrific player, a big character, and I look forward to seeing him on Saturday doing what he does - playing football."

Tiote missed the start of the campaign with a hamstring injury but returned as a substitute at Southampton last month and then started against Hull and Stoke.