The closure of the transfer window can’t come quickly enough for Newcastle United, who have on Sunday rejected an offer for Yohan Cabaye.
The France international is arguably playing the best football of his career this season, following a summer in which he was keen to quit Tyneside for UEFA Champions League football. Arsenal lodged a bid for his signature which was rejected, and after a period of discontent, the player has since scored seven goals and assisted three in 19 games.
Although David Moyes has spent £37.1million on Chelsea’s Juan Mata this month, there have been reports that the Manchester United man is an admirer of Cabaye, and could make an offer to lure him to Old Trafford before the window closes. And on Sunday afternoon, Paris St Germain showed their intent by lodging a £14million bid.
This offer was rejected by the Magpies, and understandably so. Not only do the performances of the 28-year-old suggest he would be worth a fee in the region of £20million, he remains under contract until the summer of 2016 and besides, Newcastle also have designed on a top-six finish this season, and maybe even gatecrashing the top-four.
Regardless, it is likely to be a nervous last few days of the window for Alan Pardew. PSG, in particular, appear to have a bottomless pit, so if coach Laurent Blanc has set his heart on Cabaye, it is likely that an improved offer will be made within the course of the week. And with the arrival of Mata injecting a fresh optimism in the Manchester United camp, there is also the possibility of Moyes making an official approach to take him.
One major attraction of Cabaye is the fact he is eligible to play in the Champions League this season. Both United and PSG have progressed to the last 16, and will be reasonably confident of making the quarter-finals having been drawn against Greek side Olympiakos and Germain outfit Bayer Leverkusen respectively.
Newcastle, for their part, have in effect already landed a replacement for Cabaye, if Montpellier chairman Louis Nicollin is to be believed. Earlier this month the French club claimed the Magpies had agreed a deal to sign Remy Cabella, although the 23-year-old will, according to Nicollin, only arrive in England at the end of the season.
