Barcelona targeting Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye

By Jak Penny
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Updated: July 11, 2012

Barcelona are plotting a shock move for Newcastle United midfielder Yohan Cabaye and are reportedly prepared to pay £8 million to bring him to the Nou Camp.

The 26-year-old Frenchman was one of the signings of the season after helping the Magpies to a fifth place finish in the Premier League following a £4.8m from Lille last year.

Cabaye further enhanced his reputation whilst representing his country at Euro 2012 last month and is said to have caught the eye of new Barca boss Tito Villanova.

Reports have claimed that the Catalan giants will offer Newcastle £8m to prise him away from St James’ Park but manager Alan Pardew has laughed off such speculation.

He said: “The interest is purely speculative. We have had no contact and certainly no offer, and obviously we wouldn’t even consider an offer anywhere near that region.”

Pardew has endured a frustrating summer on Tyneside after missing out on top striking target Luuk De Jong and failing to make progress in the pursuit of Cabaye’s France teammate Mathieu Debuchy.

However he will be encouraged by the news that Ajax’s versatile midfielder Vurnon Anita has admitted he will ‘seriously consider’ any offers from England.

£12m rated Anita has two years remaining on his contract at the Amsterdam Arena and the Holland club are keen to keep him ahead of their Champions League campaign.

However the 23-year-old wants to play in the top-flight saying: “I am going to seriously consider any interest and will discuss it with my parents,” Anita told the Dutch media.

“The Premier League is a top competition where I would want to play.

“Ajax say they won’t let me go, and I’m tied up here until 2014. It would be no punishment to stay, but you never know.”

Newcastle had a rumoured £8m bid turned down by Ajax and will need to move quickly with North East rivals Sunderland are also said to be interested.

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