Newcastle announce signing of midfielder on loan

Newcastle have confirmed that Nabil Bentaleb has joined from Schalke on loan for the rest of the season with a view to making the move permanent in the summer. 

The Algerian had fallen out of favour with the Bundesliga side and is yet to make a league appearance this season. 

The former Tottenham man will not be available for the Magpies' trip to Everton this week, however. 

"Algeria international Nabil Bentaleb has joined Newcastle United on loan from Schalke 04 for the rest of the season, with an option to make the deal permanent," a statement read on the club's official website. 

"The 25-year-old midfielder, who represented his country at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2015 and 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, has previously played in the Premier League for Tottenham Hotspur. 

"He made 66 appearances for the North London club - scoring his only goal against Newcastle in a League Cup tie in December 2014 - before moving to Schalke, initially on loan, in August 2016. 

"Bentaleb has made 97 appearances for the Bundesliga side, scoring 19 times, and has played in the Champions League for Die Königsblauen." 

On his move to Newcastle, Bentaleb said: "I'm very happy to come back to the Premier League, especially with a club such as Newcastle. 

"The project really interested me. I wanted absolutely to come back to the Premier League. The coach had some trust in me and the club also - I saw that straight away - and I think it's the perfect move for me." 

Magpies boss Steve Bruce added: "He's somebody who I paid particular attention to when he was at Spurs, when he broke through and got a big money move to Germany. 

"He's played at the highest level now for the last four or five years but he will come in hungry and feeling he has something to prove and will give us the competition we obviously need. 

"With the numbers that we've got at the minute, he's got a bit of experience and I think people will enjoy watching him play. He'll come into the squad and I'm sure he'll be a good acquisition for us. 

"The fact that he's played in the Premier League before helps, because we know that he can play and knows what the demands of the Premier League are. He's gone from the Premier League to Schalke and played in the Champions League as well, so we're delighted to get him. It's a great signing."