Tributes to former Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote

Football is in mourning after former Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote collapsed and died on Monday while training with Beijing Enterprises.

The 30-year-old midfielder spent seven seasons with the Magpies before signing for the Chinese second division club in February this year.

In a statement released by Beijing Enterprises, club spokesman Emanuele Palladino said: "It is with deep sadness I confirm that Cheick Tiote sadly passed away earlier today after collapsing in training. 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."

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According to The Sun, Tiote, whose wife is expecting a baby, suffered a heart attack at the club's training ground and was pronounced dead at hospital.

Tiote is best remembered for the goal he scored during Newcastle's stunning four-goal comeback against Arsenal in 2011. He made more than 150 appearances for the north-east club and was a favourite in the dressing room and on the terraces.

One of his former managers at Newcastle, Steve McClaren, told BBC Sport, that the Ivory Coast international had "the most beautiful smile in football". He added: "At Newcastle if [Papiss] Cisse and Cheick were smiling I knew the world was OK. He was the kind of player that everyone wants in their team."

Tiote began his professional career with Belgian side Anderlecht in 2005 before moving to Dutch club FC Twente. With them he won the league title in the 2009-10 season before he signed for Newcastle in 2010 in a £3.5m move.

The Magpies issued a statement on learning of Tiote's death, in which the club said: "We are devastated to have learnt of the tragic passing of Cheick Tiote at the age of just 30. The thoughts of everyone at Newcastle United are with Cheick's family, friends, team-mates and everyone connected with the clubs he represented."

Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez, who worked with Tiote for a few months before his move to China, said: "In all the time that I have known him, he was a true professional, dedicated and above all, a great man. Our hearts go out to his family and friends at such a sad time."

Few people in English football knew Tiote as well as McClaren, who managed him at Twente and again at Newcastle when he was appointed manager in 2015. "I knew him first as a young player at Twente, he was the toughest player I've ever seen," said McClaren. "On the field and in training he was such a competitor. He wanted to win every game, kick every player and win every tackle. He was a winner. I just can't believe it… it was his dream to play in China and I was so delighted for him when it happened.

"He earned money to look after his family. He loved playing football to look after his family. All the relatives, uncles, aunts, grandparents, they all relied on him to look after them."