Haïdara, Sissoko swell Newcastle's French legion

Newcastle United FC have secured their fourth and fifth signings of the January transfer window, returning to Ligue 1 to bring in left-back Massadio Haïdara from AS Nancy-Lorraine and midfielder Moussa Sissoko from Toulouse FC.

Haïdara, 20, has agreed a five-and-a-half-year contract at Newcastle, moving from Nancy for an undisclosed sum. The French Under-21 international had made 46 top-flight outings. Meanwhile, the 23-year-old Sissoko, capped six times by France, will have a six-and-a-half-year deal on Tyneside, with no details of a transfer fee revealed. The more experienced of the pair, Sissoko leaves Toulouse after scoring 20 goals in 192 league games.

Magpies manager Alan Pardew said: "Massadio is very highly thought of in France, he's somebody our scouting team have been greatly impressed by. Moussa arriving today is a massive plus for the club – he will bring drive and energy to the squad, he is a winner."

The duo join countrymen Mathieu Debuchy, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Yoan Gouffran as winter recruits at St James' Park. Newcastle face FC Metalist Kharkiv in the UEFA Europa League round of 32, with the first leg taking place on 14 February in England.