Tiote: My future is at Newcastle

The Magpies midfielder has dismissed any talk of a move away from Tyneside and is determined to help his side finish fourth to qualify for next season's Champions League.Newcastle midfielder Cheikh Tiote insists that his future remains on Tyneside and has set his sights on fulfilling his Champions League ambitions with the Magpies.The Ivorian has been a revelation since his £3.5 million move from Dutch side FC Twente in 2010 and Chelsea are one of several clubs reportedly weighing up a big-money bid for his services this summer.Yet, with Alan Pardew’s men competing with Chelsea for a top-four position and Champions League football, Tiote sees no reason to jump ship any time soon."I'm a Newcastle player – my future is at Newcastle," he told the Shields Gazette."I'm playing for Newcastle, and I have to finish this season strongly and help the team get into Europe. If we do that, it will be good for the club and the fans."Sitting comfortably in fifth place with five games remaining, Newcastle are virtually guaranteed a return to the Europa League for the first time since the 2006-7 season, but Tiote has loftier ambitions.With Chelsea potentially distracted by their FA Cup exploits and Tottenham struggling for form recently, the midfielder is confident that his side's strong team ethic can see them take advantage and gain an unexpected Champions League spot."We're in a great position now. We need to finish like this. We have a good opportunity to play in the Champions League – everyone knows we have a possibility to go to Europe," he enthused."We need to stay focused and play as a team. If we do that, we can finish in the top four."This is a team. If you don’t play as a team, it’s difficult to achieve anything."We need to play as a team and stay compact. If we do that, we can achieve something this season."