Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has criticised Arsenal's conduct in their pursuit of midfielder Yohan Cabaye. The London club tabled a bid in the region of £10 million for the player the day of Newcastle's Premier League opener against Manchester City. As a result, Cabaye did not feature in the game and Pardew was left fuming afterwards.
"When you do a pre-season and prepare for three days with a team that includes Cabaye it's tough for his head to be turned on the eve of a game," Pardew told the Daily Mail.
The Newcastle manager insists that submitting the bid on Monday was unnecessary and is evidence of dishonourable behaviour.
"I don't see any reason why that needed to happen," Pardew explained. "Why they couldn't give us the respect and honour of waiting until Tuesday morning? It's beyond me."
Cabaye is believed to be interested in the prospect of joing countrymen Arsene Wenger at the Emirates stadium. The bid, however, is far lower that Newcastle's valuation. Not for the first time this summer, Wenger has been told he needs to spend more to get the player. So far, he has refused to do so and is yet to sign anybody.
"I think it's just a very difficult situation," Pardew continued. "It wasn't us who gave him the news."
In terms of leaving the France international out of the tem that played City, Pardew claims that Cabaye's mindset was not ideal.
"It's very hard to play a game of this magnitude," he said. "It's pretty obvious that I'm upset about it. I'm not exactly sure of the terms of the offer but it's below our valuation."
With Wenger under severe pressure to add players to his squad, the club should be weary of panic buying. They require reinforcements in the centre of midfield, but of the ball-winning variety. In Wilshere and Arteta, Wenger is stocked with ball-playing centre midfielders. Cabaye fits the same mould as these two players.
