Arsenal have been told they must pay at least £20 million for Yohan Cabaye as their opening offer of £10 million was rejected and slammed as "derisory" last night, according to the Telegraph. The timing of the Gunner's bid for the 27-year-old, on the day of the Magpie's opening Premier League game against Manchester City, provoked fury at St James' Park after Cabaye was withdrawn from the squad that lost 4-0 at the Etihad. And manager Alan Pardew has blasted Arsenal of showing "disrespect" to his club. He said:
"We have prepared with the lad for three days and for him to have his head turned by this bid by Arsenal is just disrespectful in my view. Why it couldnt have waited until tomorrow I dont know. The result wouldnt have been the same if hed played in my view.
Arsenal's bid for Cabaye comes as pressure mounts on boss Arsene Wenger to make some serious headway in the transfer market this summer, with his only signing so far being Yaya Sanogo from Auxerre on a free. Wenger has also tabled a bid for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, but it is the way the Gunner's manager went in for Cabaye that has caused particular anger at Newcastle. Pardew continued:
I think it is just a very difficult situation when a player gets news like that, and it wasnt us who gave him the news. It is very hard to get your head around to play a game of this magnitude.
Newcastle immediately rejected Arsenal's offer for Cabaye and made it known they considered Wenger's bid to be "derisory". In a conversation with the Gunner's negotiator, Dick Law, it is understood Magpies owner Mike Ashley asked: "Which part of him do you want to buy?" When Law assured him the offer was genuine, Ashley then told him to come back with at least £20 million if they were serious about signing the France international.