STARS IN EUROPE - TRANSFERS - Demba Ba leaves China as Africans move on deadline day

Demba Ba  Göztepe S.K.Embed from Getty Images

Veteran Senegalese striker Demba Ba has become the latest African to leave China to return to European football.

The 32-year-old has joined Turkish side Goztepe on loan from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua.

"So happy to be back in the beautiful Turkey that I cherish so much," the forward said on Twitter.

Nigerians Brown Ideye and Anthony Ujah, Gabon's Malick Evouna and DR Congo international Gael Kakuta have all recently returned to Europe from China.

Ba's compatriot Henri Saivet, 27, has also made a Turkish move, joining top side Sivasspor on a six-month loan from English Premiership club Newcastle United.

Another African moving to Turkey is 27-year-old Guinea defender Florentin Pogba.

The elder brother of Manchester United midfielder Paul has joined Turkey's Genclerbirligi, on an 18-month contract from French side Saint-Étienne.

Elsewhere, struggling Spanish side Las Palmas have signed Nigeria international forward Oghenekaro Etebo and compatriot Emmanuel Emenike on a six-month loan.

Etebo, 22, joins from Portuguese club Feirense, with an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season.

"It is true that I've come to a visible league with top players but my priority is to focus solely on Las Palmas and make important contributions," Etebo, who scored nine goals in 52 games for Feirense, told BBC Sport.

He made his international debut for Nigeria in March 2016 and has won 10 caps, scoring once.

Named 2015 CAF most promising talent, Etebo was top scorer as Nigeria won the 2015 African U-23 championship and also scored four goals to help his country clinch bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics football.

Emenike, 30, who surprisingly quit international football in October 2015, joins from reigning Greek champions Olympiakos.

The much-travelled and vastly-experienced Emenike is joining his seventh professional club in seven years, after stints in Russia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, England and Greece.

Emenike made his international debut in a friendly against Sierra Leone in Lagos in February 2011 and was top scorer at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, helping Nigeria lift the trophy.

In another notable move, Portuguese giants Sporting CP have snapped up Ghana international defender Lumor Agbenyenu, 21, on a four-and-a-half-year contract from Primeira Liga rivals Portimonense.

Algeria international midfielder Sofiane Hanni, 27, has left Belgian club Anderlecht for Russian side Spartak Moscow in a three-and-a-half-year deal.

And Nigeria defender Elderson Echiejile, 30, has joined Belgian second-tier club Cercle Brugge on loan from parent club AS Monaco.