Arsenal this week turned their attentions to Newcastle United’s French midfielder and tabled an offer which the Magpies’ boss, Alan Pardew, called “disrespectful”.
Pardew was apparently upset at the timing of the offer, coming one day before his club’s match against Manchester City, as well as the amount offered.
That figure is believed to be around £10 million and Newcastle have every right to think that they can demand more for Yohan Cabaye’s services.
Cabaye was left out of the game at the Etihad, which Newcastle lost 4-0, having apparently had his head turned by the bid. While the fee and the timing might have upset Pardew, Arsenal have not behaved in deliberately hostile manner.
Clubs are free to bid what they like for any particular player and at any time, just as the selling club is free to reject or accept any offer.
It may perhaps be viewed as ungentlemanly to bid for a player on the eve of a match but if Cabaye’s mental state was effected to the point of Pardew leaving out one of his best players, surely the bid coming in two or three days before would have had the same result.
A player’s head being turned during a transfer window is nothing new or strange, what is strange is Arsenal’s sudden need for a Yohan Cabaye-type player.
Arsenal have disappointed fans with their pondering in the transfer market this summer with many voicing their discontent during the 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday.
Arsene Wenger is being urged to spend but of all the types of players Arsenal seem short of, ball playing midfielders are not one of them.
Even with their ever growing injury list Wenger still has a raft of similar type players in Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Tomas Rosicky and Mikel Arteta.
Given their pursuit of strikers such as Luis Suarez, Gonzalo Higuain and holding midfield player Luiz Gustavo, it would appear those were priority positions to strengthen, injuries in defence and uncertainty over the position of goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny makes the decision to give the Cabaye move priority a questionable one.
Another question Gunners’ fans will feel should be answered is if Yohan Cabaye is being bid for now then why could an offer not have been made when the transfer window opened or even before?
He is a player the club would have known about so why wait until there is only two weeks of the window left to try and get him in?
It makes little sense from whichever angle you look and with reports that PSG could be set to bid up to £20 million for the playmaker; it may be another embarrassing transfer episode for Arsenal.
Follow the author of this post on Twitter @KyleC7.
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