Football
Ian Holyman, France correspondent 9y

Yohan Cabaye open to Premier League return amid Crystal Palace interest

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Yohan Cabaye would consider a return to the Premier League as he needs more playing time, boosting Crystal Palace's hopes of signing the France international.

Cabaye, 29, proved a success in the Premier League at Newcastle United but left St James' Park in January 2013 to join PSG where he has won back-to-back French titles.

The France international's contribution to those successes has, however, been limited as he has been unable to claim any of the three first-choice slots in central midfield ahead of Thiago Motta, Blaise Matuidi and Marco Verratti.

Cabaye made just 13 starts out of 24 top-flight appearances last season for PSG, and told Infosport+ he needs to play more with the 2016 European Championship in France on the horizon, and a move back to England could make that happen.

Cabaye, who spent two-and-a-half seasons at Newcastle following his bargain €5 million move from Lille, said: "Yes, I like it. I like the league and the country, too.

"There could be that opportunity just as there could be others. I am going to think things over and take the best decision. I know that I'll take the right decision. The future will tell me if it's the best one."

He added: "There is a situation today which means that I don't have the playing time I would have hoped for. We know that, for me, my future is to be on the pitch every weekend, to enjoy myself, to flourish, in order to express myself fully.

"I have my representatives who are working, and who look after me very well. As long as there is nothing, I don't want to know and must simply focus. We'll see how things develop in the coming weeks."

Cabaye's ex-Newcastle boss, Alan Pardew, is now in charge at Palace and sources have told ESPN FC that a move to reunite the pair at Selhurst Park could happen.

Cabaye, who scored 17 Premier League goals during his time with the Magpies, admitted he would welcome a reunion with Pardew.

He said: "Things went very well with him. I like him and he does good work. The most important thing is to enjoy my football again. If I have to take that decision, it will be a pleasure to meet my former coach again."

Though he remains first-choice in the mind of France coach Didier Deschamps for the moment, Cabaye's underwhelming display in Sunday's 4-3 defeat to Belgium -- in which he was substituted at half-time -- has led to questions over just how long he will retain that status.

"Yohan currently has a tricky situation," Deschamps, 46, told media ahead of Saturday's friendly in Albania. "He knows that, we had already spoken about it when we met up in the autumn, and I have talked about it again with him. To hope to be at his best, with points of reference and rhythm, he needs to find them at his club."

Cabaye has two years remaining on his PSG contract, and with Motta a potential summer departure from the Parc des Princes, his prospects could improve under Blanc.

Deschamps warned Cabaye, and others in a similar situation, not merely to move for moving's sake, but added that he expected his defensive midfielder to quickly resolve his situation for the better.

"Like the others, he's free to choose, and he's lucid enough to understand the situation. I hope he'll find the best solution. I know what he's capable of doing, but he needs rhythm and playing time. If he still isn't playing well when he has that, then I'll ask myself the question concerning him. For the moment, he has those handicaps, and it prevents him from having optimal confidence."

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