Crystal Palace are confident of confirming the club record signing of Yohan Cabaye from Paris Saint-Germain before the weekend after the France international indicated a desire to move to Selhurst Park where he will be reunited with his former manager at Newcastle, Alan Pardew.
Cabaye, who is expected to undertake a medical in the next 48 hours, will cost an initial £10m with another £2.5m due to the French champions in various add-ons.
The 29-year-old had been seeking assurances he will not be the only major signing this summer by a club who finished 10th, their joint second-highest placing, last season and is apparently satisfied with Palace likely to step up their pursuit of Charlie Austin and Ashley Williams.
Pardew hopes to add at least three players as Palace seek to maintain progress and establish themselves as a top-10 Premier League side.
Cabaye had flourished under his management on Tyneside following a move from Lille in 2011 before signing for PSG for a deal worth up to £19m in January 2014. Yet he started only 13 Ligue 1 games last season, Laurent Blanc instead preferring a combination of Blaise Matuidi, Marco Verratti and Thiago Motta.
The lack of first-team opportunities provoked concerns Cabaye may lose his place in the France squad for next summer’s European Championship finals in his homeland and he made his frustrations clear to the PSG management.
The decision to allow his departure from Parc des Princes was made because Uefa’s relaxation of financial fair play restrictions permitted them to re-enter the market more aggressively to add to their own ranks. PSG will now recruit a defensive midfielder and remain interested in Ángel Di María of Manchester United.
Cabaye had attracted interest from West Ham United, who could offer Europa League football, and two Champions League clubs in Roma and Atlético Madrid. However, he has agreed personal terms at Palace on a four-year contract with the deal set to be completed, subject to a medical.
Interest has been expressed in Austin at Queens Park Rangers, with Fraizer Campbell potentially moving in the opposite direction, but the relegated club are seeking a £15m straight cash deal for a striker who has entered the final 12 months of his contract.
Williams would be a surprise recruit, particularly given the defender’s success with Swansea who finished eighth with 56 points last term. The 30-year-old signed a four-year contract only last summer and Swansea would be reluctant sellers.
