PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al Khelaifi said yesterday that the French champions are close to completing a deal for Newcastle United’s Yohan Cabaye.
“It is not done. There are discussions, that’s true, but it is not finished,” said Al Khelaifi just as widespread British media reports have claimed that Newcastle have agreed to sell the French international midfielder.
PSG were reported to have had a £14m ($23.1m, 16.9m euros) offer for the 28-year-old rejected on Sunday, but several media outlets, including the BBC, claim that a deal worth around £20 million has now been reached.
French sports daily L’Equipe report that Cabaye will sign a three-and-a-half-year deal once he passes a medical, probably today.
Meanwhile, Cabaye was reported to have travelled to Paris on Tuesday, ruling him out of Newcastle’s trip to Norwich City in the Premier League later in the day.
Speaking on Monday, Newcastle manager Alan Pardew had expressed pessimism about the club’s chances of holding onto Cabaye, who signed from Lille for a fee of £4.3m in 2011.
“You are talking to someone who lost Andy Carroll (to Liverpool in January 2011) with eight hours to go (in the transfer window), so am I confident?” he asked at a press conference. AFP
