Former Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote collapsed on the training ground with his club in Beijing and died on Monday, his agent confirmed in a short statement.Tiotewas 30 years old.
"It is with deep sadness that I confirm that my client Cheick Tiote sadly passed away earlier today after collapsing in training with his club Beijing Enterprises," agent Emanuele Palladino said inthe statement.
"We cannot say any more at the moment and we request that his family's privacy be respected at this difficult time. We ask for all your prayers."
The hard-tackling midfielder served as fixture for years withNewcastle, where he made 139 appearances over the course of seven seasons before joining Chinese side Beijing International on an undisclosed fee this year. Tiote scored one of the most iconic goals in Newcastle's recent history, when he volleyed in a wonderful strike to complete an incredible comeback against Arsenal.
Tiote also earned 52 appearances for his native country of Ivory Coast, scoring one goal. He was a member of the 2015 Ivory Coast squad which won the Africa Cup of Nations.
We will add more details to this story as they become available.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.