Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Yohan Cabaye has admitted he could be tempted back to the Premier League after struggling to nail down a starting spot with the French champions. Cabaye returned to Ligue 1 in January after PSG agreed a reported £10million deal to sign the midfielder from Newcastle.
The 28-year old’s time in the French capital hasn’t gone exactly to plan, however, and the former Lille star has now admitted he is far from happy with his current situation and missing playing in England.
While Cabaye’s first season back in France saw him win a Ligue 1 title winners medal, the sheer strength in depth of the PSG midfield has resulted in him being forced to often settle for a role on the bench. After hinting at his disillusionment in the summer, Cabaye now looks to be pushing for a move back to the Premier League in January, possibly with the hope that Arsenal come calling again. The Gunners had been in the race to sign Cabaye last season, although Newcastle were rightly keener on selling their prized asset to a club in a different league rather than another Premier League team.
Arsenal fans have been calling out for Arsene Wenger to add another central midfielder to their squad for a couple of years and some believe Cabaye could be the perfect addition. While the France international might not be the defensive minded midfielder the Gunners have been lacking, Cabaye is more than capable of playing in a deep-laying role and could almost certainly adapt to a more defensive role. Wenger’s unsuccessful pursuit of Cabaye last season shows he is a fan of the former Newcastle star, and there does appear to be a feeling among the Premier League betting that Arsenal will be back in for the Frenchman again this January.
Cabaye might not boast the physical presence that Arsenal need in midfield, but he does have a very good passing range and a footballing ethos that fits in with what Wenger has with the Gunners. More tenacious than Mikel Arteta and more technically gifted than Mathieu Flamini, Cabaye would definitely be an improvement on what Wenger currently has at his disposal in midfield. Proven in the Premier League, Arsenal would know their new signing wouldn’t need the sort of time to adapt to life in England as his other targets.
At 28 years old, Wenger would possibly rather sign a player yet to reach his peak. But Cabaye’s cost would probably only be around £15million – which is a significantly lower price than the likes of Paul Pogba or William Carvalho would command. With a reported £30 million at his disposal in January, Wenger may look to save money on a midfielder in order to focus his attention on his defence.
If a move to Arsenal doesn’t come off for Cabaye, the playmaker wouldn’t be short of offers if he was given permission to leave the Parc des Princes in January. Clubs from the Premier League, Serie A and Germany have all expressed an interest in Cabaye, while Newcastle fans will also be clinging onto the hope of seeing their former hero return to the North East.