Alan Pardew confirms 'unacceptable' Arsenal bid for Cabaye

Newcastle United’s Yohan Cabaye has been the subject of a £10 million bid from Arsenal

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has confirmed that Arsenal made a bid for Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye, with Arsene Wenger looks to make his first major transfer of the season.

Pardew confirmed that he thought the bid, thought to be in the region of £10 million, was unacceptable and that it came on the eve of Newcastle’s Premier League opener was ‘disrespectful’.

Newcastle United quickly rejected the bid from Premier League rivals Arsenal.

Pardew told Sky Sports 1:

“What I can confirm is that, on the eve of a game, we had a bid for a player that we don’t think is acceptable.

“Therefore, I have to pick what I think is a team out here that’s going to get us a result.

“The rights and wrongs of that bid are for other people to make their own opinion. I know what my opinion of it is.

“I don’t want to keep going over the same point that is the main focus for the media today, but my main focus is to try and get a result for the fans and players.”

After his side had been beaten 4-0 by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, Pardew expressed frustration at the timing of Arsenal’s bid, suggesting the result would have been different if Cabaye had played.

He commented: “We’ve prepared with the lad for three days and then for him to have his head turned by this bid from Arsenal on the eve of the game is just disrespectful.

“From my view, why it couldn’t have waited until tomorrow morning I do not know.

“I don’t think the result would have been the same if he had played.”