Alan Pardew will try and convince Ben Arfa and Cabaye to stay at the club this summer.
Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew faces a tough prospect this summer as he desperately tries to hold onto French midfield stars Hatem Ben Arfa and Yohan Cabaye.
Following a fifth-placed finish last season and a Europa League spot the Magpies have struggled in 2012/13 and were embroiled in a relegation scrap right up until the penultimate match of the season.
Pardew is due to meet with club owner Mike Ashley this week to discuss the plans at St James’ Park going forward into next campaign, but it is likely there will be significant interest for both Ben Arfa and Cabaye.
The French internationals have become stalwarts in both their national and club sides in the last 12 months and Pardew is keen not to let them leave.
“We’re one of those clubs where we’re liable to lose one of our great players to a Champions League team through finance and sometimes the will of the player,” the manager told the Shields Gazette.
“Having said that, it’s going to be very difficult for any club to get a player out of here unless it’s a serious or big bid.”
The 27-year-old Cabaye was bought from Lille for just £4.4million in July 2011 and would probably fetch at least three times that in the current transfer market.
Ben Arfa meanwhile was signed in the previous January for another modest fee of £5.3million from Marseille, but according to football website transfermarkt.com is now worth nearer to £12million.
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