Newcastle manager Alan Pardew slams Arsenal over Yohan Cabaye

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has hit out at Arsenal for launching a bid for Yohan Cabaye ahead of their Premier League opener against Manchester City.

Arsenal tabled an offer believed to be in the region of £10million for the Frenchman only for Newcastle to reject it out of hand.

Cabaye had been included in the Newcastle squad to face City but Pardew took the decision to send him home, claiming he was not in the right mental state following Arsenal’s approach.

It proved to be a disappointing night for the Magpies as they went down 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium and Pardew wasted little time in making his feelings known.

“I didn’t see any reason why that needed to happen,” said Pardew.

“When you do a pre-season like we have and been very thorough and prepared for three days with a team that includes Cabaye, it is tough for his head to be turned on the eve of a game.

“Why they couldn’t do us the respect and the honour of waiting until Tuesday evening is beyond me.”

Pardew had hoped to keep news of the bid quiet and believes Cabaye would have struggled to concentrate had he featured against City.

“It is a very difficult situation and hard to get your head round to play a game of this magnitude,” he said.

“It is pretty obvious I am upset about it.”

With Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool battling to keep some of their biggest players, Pardew believes it is time the transfer window is looked at.

“There is a question about the window being closed before we kick off the Premier League season,” Pardew went on.

“I know the Premier League asked the European leagues to do it and they wouldn’t fall in line.

“But after the summer we have had, the situations we have had it is definitely something they need to put under the microscope again.”