Pardew’s at a loss to replace Cabaye

Newcastle are increasingly resigned to the prospect of failing to land a replacement for Yohan cabaye before the transfer window shuts tonight.

an £11million bid for lyon midfielder clement Grenier, 23, has been rejected. His agent Frederic Guerra said last night: ‘He would have arrived not as clement Grenier but as Yohan cabaye’s replacement.

‘I have the utmost respect for a player of cabaye’s quality. But who deserves to have that tag? as his agent I ask, “Is he worth half the price of cabaye?” For those reasons it led us to decline the Newcastle offer.’

with Montpellier’s Remy cabella a summer target, boss alan Pardew says that transfer window will be crucial.

Newcastle face sunderland tomorrow and are likely to be without Yoan Gouffran, Papiss cisse and Fabricio coloccini. loic Remy is suspended after losing his appeal against his red card at Norwich on tuesday.

the loss of cabaye, sold to PsG for £20m — four times the price Newcastle paid for him — will be felt harder if a replacement is not signed today.

Pardew said: ‘the summer will be very important to us because of the players we have with two years left on their contract. I’ve built two teams here and will have to build another one in the summer.

‘we need to make sure we use Yohan’s money very wisely, as we did with andy carroll. I was disappointed to lose Yohan. I want to keep my best players.’