Crystal Palace could be set to step up their chase for French internationalist Yohan Cabaye.

Palace chairman Steve Parish has confirmed to Talksport that the interest in a top player was high on their agenda this summer:

“There’s definitely one we would like to do. It would be a massive thing for the club obviously,” 

“He’s a seasoned international, so it’s definitely one we are working on.” 

Cabaye would certainly fit the bill for the ‘Eagles’.

But if a deal can be thrashed out between Palace and PSG for the midfielder, then Yohan will have a lot to prove at Selhurst Park.

He’ll arrive with a hefty price tag (probably in the region of £10m-£12m) that would instantly make him the club’s record signing. That would see the limelight shine directly on him from the get go.

In the past two seasons, Palace enjoyed very successful second halves to their Premier League seasons. Last year they secured a tenth place finish, which was fantastic for a club like Crystal Palace.

But in each of their last two campaigns, Palace have suffered from dodgy starts and managerial departures. With an expensive purchase like Cabaye, Parish and his board would hope for a better start to the 2015-16 season.

That is a huge amount of expectation for any new recruits joining the Eagles this summer.

But the next move for Yohan Cabaye is going to be a huge one for the twenty-nine year old too, as he has a lot to prove in the next twelve months.

No doubt his £19m move from Newcastle United to PSG in January 2014 would have made Cabaye an extremely wealthy individual but the transfer has stalled his career on the park.

Although he managed to add to his French league title he won at Lille in 2011 with two more winners medals with ‘Les Rouge-et-Bleu’ Yohan has struggled to find form and his minutes on the field have since depleted in number too. He was constantly watching on as Laurent Blanc would start with players like Thiago Motta, Marco Verratti, Blaise Matuidi and a resurgent Javier Pastore ahead of him in the starting line-up.

During his spell in the English Premier League with the Magpies, the middleman scored seventeen goals in seventy-nine league appearances. But in Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain, Yohan Cabaye has only managed one solitary goal in thirty-five league games for the French Champions.

At Newcastle, the thirty eight times capped Frenchman was the standout player who often produced magical performances. He has solid right foot that is as equally capable of making a defence splitting pass as it is finding the net with a well placed side-footed shot from the edge of the area. Also a fine player when taking set-pieces.

You won’t find many more midfielders as accomplished or as composed as Cabaye showed during his three seasons at St James Park. A player who often lead by example and relished the bigger fixtures against the in form sides in England.

Cabaye will need to produce that same level of performance at Palace or wherever he ends up at next.

Next summer France are hosting the Euros and Cabaye will be desperate to fulfil his dream of representing his country at that tournament.

Up until now French boss Didier Deschamps has continued to select the technically sound midfielder. Deschamps likes to have a balanced squad, complete with strong personalities that are good for the group. But although he appreciates Cabaye’s qualities he cannot go into next summers major tournament with a player who is constantly benched by his club.

Earlier this year he hinted as much whilst discussing Cabaye’s predicament at PSG:

“Yohan has a complicated situation at his club and he knows it. We have already spoken about it at a meeting in the Autumn and I have discussed it again with him.

“To be at his best, full of confidence, he needs to have that club (where he plays regularly) and he has not had this season at PSG.

“Does he find a good (solution at PSG) or a better solution? I hope for him that he does.”

Going to Crystal Palace, may not have his been first choice (I’m sure a team like Arsenal, Man Utd or Liverpool would have been ahead of them in his mind) but his stock has fallen since his move to PSG and the bigger sides seem no longer interested in Cabaye’s talents.

But Palace could turn out to be the ideal place for the French star.

He worked with current Eagles boss Alan Pardew at Newcastle Utd. The Palace gaffer knows how to get the best out of Cabaye and will give him the freedom to best express himself on the park.

So signing for Crystal Palace may not represent the dream for Yohan Cabaye but he’ll need to respect the club and the opportunity that they will present to him at this important juncture of his career.

Cabaye will also have to hit the ground running after his next move and show that his time at PSG was just a blip and he can once again influence big games in a Premier League engine room!

Posted on July 6th, 2015 by scott
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