Premier League – Newcastle bide time in transfer window

The Magpies began the month with director of football Joe Kinnear warning they may not make any new signings, while manager Alan Pardew once again voiced his hopes of hanging on to all his star men.

Three weeks on, there have been no arrivals or departures at St James' Park, but as Pardew learned within weeks of his arrival as manager in December 2010, that may not necessarily remain the case.

Indeed, the 52-year-old, who is currently on a warm-weather training camp with his players in Abu Dhabi, has developed something of a stock answer when asked about the transfer window.

He said at the weekend: "You never say never at this football club, for sure."

In 2011, the manager saw striker Andy Carroll sold to Liverpool for a staggering 35million on the final day of the winter window as owner Mike Ashley decided that offer was simply too good to refuse.

It was a decision which was greeted with fury by fans, but hindsight and Carroll's subsequent misfortunes have diluted that anger.

This time around, France midfielder Yohan Cabaye is the focus of attention and while there is no immediate appetite to cash in on a player whose performance in Saturday's 3-1 Barclays Premier League victory at West Ham served to underline his quality, a similarly outrageous bid could not be allowed to pass unconsidered.

Reports in France have suggested cash-rich Paris St Germain are ready to tempt Newcastle with a cheque for as much as 30million Euros - around 24.7million - and way in excess of Arsenal's 10million summer offer for the 28-year-old, which was rejected out of hand.

PSG boss Laurent Blanc, who worked with Cabaye during his spell as manager of the national team, has refused to rule out an approach, although the Magpies are insistent that as yet, no such bid has been received.

Ashley's regime has worked hard to make the club self-sufficient and despite plunging it into a series of controversies along the way, has largely achieved its aim.

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Premier League - Newcastle bide time in transfer window