With only a week remaining in the summer transfer window, no major deals have been done apart from one striker from loan, Newcastle are facing the prospect of enduring yet another grim season as they are bracing up for the departure of their highly talented midfielder Yohan Cabaye.
According to the latest report from the reliable French newspaper L’ Equipe, the Magpies would be willing to sell Cabaye, but not to Arsenal. The paper claims that Newcastle are reluctant to sell the player within the league and to any competitor.
Well, with due respect to the stature of a club like Newcastle, even their staunchest of supporters would hard to find the logic of how at the moment, they can consider the Gunners as their direct competitors.
It is now crystal clear that Cabaye doesn’t want to play for Newcastle anymore and that his transfer to any other clubs is the only feasible solution for everyone involved. Hence, Newcastle’s priority will be to get the maximum profit out of the deal from anyone that can match any figure around £20 million, and it is highly unlikely that Arsenal are going to pay that amount, when they have other targets to achieve.
French champions Paris Saint-Germain are now favourites to sign the midfielder and according to the same newspaper, they’ve doubled their efforts to buy the midfielder.
Also, Newcastle are reported to be angry and upset over the approach of Arsenal for the player. The North Londoners unsettled the Toon dressing room by lodging a bid just ahead of the opening day away trip to Manchester City. The player not only refused to play but the mood of the entire camp was so down and dejected that they helplessly surrendered without giving a proper fight.
It seems like Newcastle haven’t learnt anything from the past. Earlier this year, Chelsea snatched away Demba Ba in the January transfer window, leaving them with a depleted strike force to work with. Here again, they’re running out of time to sell their star player and most importantly to replace properly.
While it is possible that Cabaye might not be plying his trade at Tyneside come September 3rd, the question is whether Newcastle could afford to lose their best midfielder, especially this late and avoid another humiliating season like the last?
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