Cabaye? Whey eye!Welcome to my small series of ‘blogs looking at Newcastle United’s new signings in the latest transfer window. First cab off the rank will be Yohan Cabaye.
Cabaye, who’s recent signing was broken on Joey Barton’s Twitta, and this ‘blog, was signed from Lille OSC for £4.3 million, which must be something of a bargain for someone who is thought to be something more like £8-10 million. Lille, a very good and stylish attacking side, won the double of France’s Ligue Un Championship and Coupe de France last season with a host of very talented players such as Gervinho, Moussa Sow, Eden Hazard and not least, Cabaye himself.
He comes from a family of footballers. His father Didier played for French side Lens until his professional career was ended by a serious injury remiscent of Hatem Ben Arfa’s when he sustained a double leg fracture. His younger brother Geoffrey plays in the French lower leagues with Iris Club de Croix. (more…)
Wearing black & white next seasonThe Lille manager announces French midfielder Yohan Cabaye’s departure to Newcastle United at a press conference.
After his final league match for Lille yesterday, Yohan Cabaye told Lille manager Rudi Garcia that he would indeed be playing his football for Newcastle United next season.
At a press conference after yesterday’s game Garcia said:
“Yohan announced yesterday to me first, then the whole group, that he has made his choice to join Newcastle. It is a choice that I respect, although I would have liked him to stay with us.”
It has apparently surprised a few French pundits in that he’s leaving a team with European qualification for one that finished 12th in the Premier League, but allegedly Cabaye is looking for ‘new challenges’.
Allegedly he cost us about 6 million Euros (£5.2m), which was the cost of his contractual release clause at Lille and it is said that he has signed a 4 year contract at Newcastle. (more…)
French press says ouiAlan Pardew has attempted to persuade Gervinho to sign for Newcastle United and allegedly a deal is all but done for Lille midfielder Yohan Cabaye.
If the Daily Mail is to be believed (ahem), we should find out after next weekend whether or not a £15m offer for Lille striker Gervinho has been accepted.
Apparently Alan Pardew met the striker last week to try and persuade Gervinho – who has professed a preference to go to a club playing Champions League football – to sign with us rather than bidding rivals Arsenal and Liverpool.
Gervinho doesn’t want to make any decision about his future until after his Africa Cup of Nations qualifier for the Ivory Coast on (next) Sunday June 5th.
Unless the offer is a stunner and Pardew has done a top-notch job on the persuasion front, the player’s preference for Champions League football makes me doubtful about seeing Gervinho lining up in black and white next season. That would be a shame because the 24 year-old striker – who can also play out on the wing – looks to be in good form having scored 25 goals in 54 appearances for Lille, helping them on their way to the league title this year. (more…)
