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Newcastle should sell Jonjo Shelvey to West Ham and re-sign free agent and former Magpie Yohan Cabaye to replace him, with the Hammers keen on a deal for the England international this month as Manuel Pellegrini looks to bolster his midfield.
What’s the word, then?
Well, according to the Express, the east London-based side are plotting a move for Shelvey if they can offload the out-of-favour Pedro Obiang this month, who has started just nine Premier League games this season as he struggles to get in ahead of Mark Noble and Declan Rice.
Shelvey himself has only made eight starts for the Magpies so far in the current league campaign, but that hasn’t put Pellegrini off at all – the Irons have already had an initial £10m offer rebuffed as Rafa Benitez is intent on keeping the Charlton academy graduate.
However, with funds at St James Park clearly limited, as they always are, and with 26-year-old Shelvey clearly not a key player on Tyneside anymore, Mike Ashley should sanction a deal which sees the former Liverpool man depart and seek his former midfield general Cabaye as cover.
What’s the situation with Cabaye?
The French international has recently been released from his contract with UAE side Al Nasr, who have also released two other foreign stars as they undergo a reshuffle having appointed Benat San Jose as their new manager following a poor start to the season.
However, whilst you may argue that the football he has been playing for the last six months is nowhere near comparable to the rigours of the Premier League, he could easily slot in and cover the bit-part role that Shelvey was performing – perhaps even more effectively.
Aforementioned, it has only been a mere six months since the 33-year-old departed England, having been playing for Crystal Palace for three seasons before moving away this summer.
He would be an extremely shrewd acquisition, no doubt – his arrival on a free, along with at least £10m from Shelvey in the bank, and Benitez could have the chance to improve other areas of his team.