Newcastle will explore both ends of the transfer spectrum this summer by pursuing a deal for free agent Steve Sidwell alongside their efforts to sign Remy Cabella from Montpellier. We know that Alan Pardew is desperate to inject his squad with proven Premier League players and the Journal have revealed to us that Sidwell is a player that ranks high on the Magpies boss' transfer shopping list after he was released by relegated Fulham. It comes as no surprise that Sidwell is a target for Pardew given he managed the midfielder when he was in charge at Reading and has previously spoken of his admiration for the 31-year-old, who scored an impressive seven goals last term for a club that dropped into the Championship. However, despite being out of contract and available for nothing, we doubt Mike Ashley will sanction a deal for Sidwell given his reluctance to sign players with little sell-on-value. In all sincerity the former Chelsea and Aston Villa midfielder would bring nothing to a midfield in urgent need of a shot of creativity rather than another technically limited workhorse. Efforts are still being made by the Club to address that issue by signing Cabella, who has long been earmarked to fill the hole left by Yohan Cabaye in January, but will have to wait until after the World Cup when the 24-year-old makes a decision on his future. Our chances of signing the playmaker, included in France's provisional squad for the tournament, significantly reduced over the weekend with reports that Chelsea have taken a fancy to him and it would be a bitter, albeit unsurprising, blow if we failed to secure his signature.
