Demba Ba has said that he is happy to be back at Newcastle United following his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations.

The forward arrived in England on Friday after Senegal's failure to get past the group stage of the tournament in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

"It's great to be back with the team," he told the club's official website. "It's been a while, and I'm very happy to be here. Now that I'm back I just have to forget about the African Cup of Nations and concentrate on the league with Newcastle.

"I got a very nice welcome from everybody at the training ground, all the players and staff. They were happy to see me, and I was happy to see them as well. It feels like I'm at home."

Ba will be expected to feature in Newcastle's Premier League clash at home to Aston Villa on Sunday.