Newcastle set Yohan Cabaye price amidst Arsenal interest

Newcastle director of football Joe Kinnear has told Arsenal that the impending transfer of French international Yohan Cabaye remains in their hands.

Newcastle player Yohan Cabaye in action during the pre season friendly match between Blackpool and Newcastle United at Bloomfield Road on July 28, 2013 in Blackpool, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Last week the Gunners made an initial bid around the reign of £10 million for the player, but Newcastle want twice the amount for their player.

Kinnear confirmed that the door is open for a sale on the condition that the Gunners increase their offer for the midfielder.

“We’ve told Arsenal our terms, the ball is in their court” the Evening Chronicle quoted him as saying.

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew remained hopeful that the situation would come to a close soon.

“You can’t say he is definitely going to stay, so the mindset of the player is such that we need to be on guard,” the Chronicle quoted him as saying. “We are on the case with that. We have to be armed. We need to resolve it. If he goes, good luck to him. Bye, bye. We need to replace him with somebody as good.”

Arsene Wenger, in the mean time, offered no hints about his transfer plans at Monday’s press conference.

I will not give you any names it would make wrong hopes,” he told reporters at the Emirates. “The disputes we have across the country are because managers talk about other players.

“We have to be discreet. But we work very hard on it. There’s no fixed date on transfers. We don’t have a fixed number we want. The most important [thing] is to focus on our own squad.

“If I add someone, it has to be special. I’m still optimistic, and I hope we don’t disappoint you.”