Demba Ba insists he is happy at Newcastle United.

The 27-year-old striker has a release clause of £7million in his contract, and he has been linked with clubs such as Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

However, Ba, who scored 16 Premier League goals last season, insists he is happy at St James Park and is now actively seeking a transfer.

"What can I say?” he told the Evening Chronicle. "The fans see me on the pitch in a Newcastle shirt - that's my message to them. In the papers there's been a lot of rubbish!

“People talk, but what I can say is that none of the teams that have been talked about have approached me. I'm still a Newcastle United player.

"Life is brilliant - I always have a smile on my face. Football is my job, but it's also a lot of fun for me. If it wasn't, I wouldn't do it. I enjoy putting on a black and white shirt."

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