Newcastle Risk Missing Out On Remy Cabella After Derisory Offer
Newcastle are running the risk of losing out on Remy Cabella after failing to match £12 million price tag demanded by Montpellier president Louis Nicollin.
Cabella is our main transfer target this summer as Alan Pardew seeks to add a greater source of creativity to his side after struggling during the second half of last season following the loss of Yohan Cabaye to Paris Saint Germain in January.
But efforts to sign the 24-year-old are continually undermined by Mike Ashley and his steadfast devotion to his strict financial blueprint and leaves new managing director Lee Charnley in a tricky position.
Newcastle tabled a £6.5m (8m euros) bid for the French club's prized asset last month but that was laughed off by Nicollin who revelled in knocking back our derisory offer.
Im happy (for Cabellas call-up), because hes a great kid, Nicollin told L'equipe. This shows the quality of our academy. It is highly probable that Ill go see all the national teams games.
Im happy I didnt sell him 8m to Newcastle.
Having sold Cabaye for £19m it's understandable that Montpellier are remaining firm in their pricing of Cabella knowing we have money to spend and they're well within their rights to do so after he scored an impressive 14 goals last season and single-handedly kept them in Ligue 1 last season.
But we're no strangers to the fact that Ashley won't budge on his valuation of a player regardless of their talent level, although the Shields Gazette suggest that Charnley will be given licence to lodge an improved offer.
That is likely to come after the World Cup with Cabella's involvement in the France squad complicating any potential deal.