Newcastle have made a very smart signing in Ki Sung Yeung

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Newcastle United completed the free transfer of Swansea City’s Ki Sung Yeung on Friday evening.

Newcastle United announced the signing of Swansea City midfielder Ki Sung Yeung on Friday evening.

The 29-year-old arrives on a free transfer after six years at the Liberty Stadium and this deal represents a smart move for Newcastle.

Ki brings experience and leadership to the Magpies’ midfield; not only does he have years of Premier League experience, Ki is also the captain of South Korea’s national side.

But this signing is more than that – it forms a proven partnership in the middle of Newcastle’s team.

Ki believes his best season in football came in his sole season alongside Jonjo Shelvey, a player already key to Newcastle’s future.

“I have very good memories with him [Shelvey] at Swansea,” said Ki on his announcement at Newcastle. “That season was my best season of my career, with Jonjo, so I know him very well, how to play, how good he is, so hopefully we make another good season.

That season, in 14/15, saw both players really delivering; Shelvey enjoyed form that manager Gary Monk labelled as “better than when he won his [England] cap”, while Ki was named Swansea’s Supporters Players of the Year after scoring eight from midfield.

Newcastle are forming a ready-made partnership that was not only a huge success for both players involved but also for the team – Swansea finished eighth that season, the highest of their Premier League tenure.

With Mikel Merino reportedly set to leave the club just one year after joining, it’s easy to see what Newcastle have planned – and why they’ve moved quickly to do the deal.

A free transfer in a position that they need to fill anyway, that brings in experience and ability, along with forming a partnership that is a proven success in the Premier League – Newcastle haven’t just bought a good player, they’ve completed one of the smartest signings of the summer.