Pardew unfazed by Cabaye interest
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew says he is not concerned by speculation linking midfielder Yohan Cabaye with a move away from St James' Park.
The 27-year-old is on the radar of clubs such as Monaco, Manchester United and PSG, but when asked if he was worried about potentially losing the star, Pardew seemed unfazed.
"Not really," he told TheEvening Chronicle.
"Obviously he is a player I want to keep. He is a great technical player and his personality is fantastic. It's a big season for him. He will be a starter for France at the World Cup.
"It's important for him. He is focused very much on us. There's no bid for him as we speak now. Until such time as there is he is a Newcastle United player."
And Pardew feels the Frenchman is too much of a professional to let the uncertainty over his future impact his preparation for the new season.
"Yohan's a total, 100 per cent professional," Pardew said. "Anything else that's said is all the speculation. It will go on.
"It'll always go on around quality players like him, like with (Wayne) Rooney and (Cristiano) Ronaldo.
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"It's part and parcel of being a big player. Yohan had a couple of special moments. It showed his quality."
The coming season shapes as a crucial one for Pardew, who inked an eight-year contract with Newcastle in September 2012 on the back of guiding the club to fifth place in the Premier League in 2011/12.
But his side failed to live up to expectations last season, battling relegation and finishing 16th.
Pardew, however, is buoyant about his team's prospects in 2013/14.
"I honestly could not have asked more from the players," he told The Journal.
"The attitude and work we've put in means that without question we are stronger than we were this time last year.
"We will continue that through pre-season because we need to be really, really ready to make our mark when the season begins."