Freiburg have signed former Borussia Monchengladbach forward Mike Hanke on a free transfer.
The former Germany international, who has played 269 games in the Bundesliga, scoring 55 times, will strengthen the Black Forest club's attack next season.
"The whole package at Freiburg was right," said Hanke, whose contract with Gladbach was not renewed.
"I have spoken to coach Christian Streich and got to know the surroundings and I believe I fit in well here.
"Of course playing in the Europa League also attracts me. I see it a little as my role to lead the way for the younger players."
The much-travelled 29-year-old has also appeared for Schalke, Wolfsburg and Hannover in Germany's top flight, while he has been capped 12 times by Germany and was part of Jurgen Klinsmann's squad which finished third at the 2006 World Cup.
"We are delighted that Mike has chosen to accept the challenge at Freiburg," said Klemens Hartenbach, Freiburg's interim director of sport.
"Our young squad gains an experienced player who also already knows the European football stage and has played consistently well over many years at his previous Bundesliga clubs.
"Last season alone, he showed his worth for Gladbach in 43 competitive appearances and underlined his love for the game, earning an excellent send-off from their fans."
The winger arrived in Edinburgh in 2008 from FK Vilnius but was sent out on loan to St Johnstone three years later.
The 22-year-old, capped 12 times for his country, returned from his six-month stay in Perth and went on to make 37 appearances for the Jambos this season, mainly from the bench, scoring three goals.
Novikovas joins Darren Barr, Danny Grainger, Mehdi Taouil, Gordon Smith, Fraser Mullen and Denis Prychynenko in leaving the club as manager Gary Locke continues his rebuilding plans.
Anzhi are reported to be keen on the Senegal international after Cisse was on the score-sheet when they met Newcastle in the Europa League this season.
Russian newspaper Izvestia has reported the cash-rich club from Dagestan are ready to offer the equivalent of ?15.4million to secure his services.
In addition, they are said to be ready to pay the player around ?50,000 a week in wages and hope the lure of another season of European football, something he will not get on Tyneside this time around, will prove attractive too.
Guus Hiddink's side were linked with Cisse before his move to England, but the player's agent Nickolay Guido says they will face competition for his signature should they make an approach.
"Russian clubs have shown interest in Papiss at the same time, but I don't want to name the names of the clubs as it wouldn't be a correct step from me," said Guido.
Omari Tetradze managed Anzhi for three years and he believes that a move there would be attractive to Cisse.
"Anzhi have the advantage that they could qualify for the Europa League and the Senegalese striker's dream has been to show his qualities in Europe and it doesn't seem possible with Newcastle in the near future," he said.
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is not averse to selling a player if the price is right, as it was with Andy Carroll in January 2011 when Liverpool offered a staggering ?35m for the England international.
However, it's understood Anzhi would have to find far in excess of ?15.4m to make the Magpies even contemplate selling Cisse, who has four years remaining on his contract.
The club has received no bids for any of its players to date and their current concentration is on incomings rather than outgoings.
Indeed, manager Alan Pardew's main objective as he headed off on his summer break was to strengthen, rather than completely overhaul, his striking department with Cisse and Shola Ameobi his only recognised senior frontmen.
Goals were at a premium for the Magpies last season as they found themselves dragged into a fight for top-flight survival, and that is a situation the manager will seek to address as a matter of urgency during the closed season.
Cisse scored 13 times during the campaign, his first full season in the Premier League.
However, he spent the first half of it playing second fiddle to Demba Ba, and was then used for much of the rest as a lone striker following his compatriot's January departure for Chelsea.
Cisse announced himself in English football in style following his ?9m arrival from German side Freiburg in January 2012, scoring 13 goals in his first 14 games, many of them spectacular strikes.
Manager Brian Laws admitted the arrival of Andy Dawson from Hull means he is unable to offer Newey, 30, a new deal.
"There is always a downside," Laws told the club website.
"Tom is a terrific lad but unfortunately we couldn't offer him a deal.
"We want to wish him well. He was fantastic for us last year and did everything possible to try and earn a contract.
"If our finances were in a better shape then I'd be doing that anyway."
Laws, who has been linked with a move for Watford striker Chris Iwelumo, is confident of bringing in another new signing in the next few days.
"We're hoping to conclude one in the early part of next week, which is encouraging," he added.
"This is about bringing players who we feel will embrace what we want to do.
"We want all the right ingredients to form a good team together. Experience, craft and guile is key."
