Transfer news: Alan Pardew hopeful Newcastle United can hold on to Yohan Cabaye

Newcastle boss wants to keep star midfielder at St James Park

Cabaye celebrates his goal (Getty Images)

Alan Pardew is remaining hopeful that he can retain the services of midfielder Yohan Cabaye in the January transfer window.

The Newcastle manager successfully warded off the suitors for his French star in the summer and will be trying to do so once more, knowing the importance of Cabaye to his team.

However with teams like Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain reportedly interested in acquiring the 27-year-old, Pardew knows he may have a struggle on his hands.

He will just have to hope there is no repeat of the January 2011 transfer window where an exorbitant bid for striker Andy Carroll meant he was forced to lose him not long into his tenure at the club.

However this time Pardew is remaining confident that owner Mike Ashley is not looking to cash in.

He said: "I am pretty confident that my owner and the club are in a great financial position. I would be a lot more nervous if we weren't.

"He's a great player, there are always going to be big clubs sniffing around him. We are fortunate to have him, we are enjoying him while he is here and long may that continue."

Cabaye has been at the club since July 2011, joining for the ludicrously small fee of £4.3m and his value has soared since then, possibly as much as five times that.

Elsewhere the Newcastle boss is planning their own moves in the transfer window - although he is unlikely to be as busy as last year when his side brought in Mathieu Debuchy, Massadio Haidara, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Moussa Sissoko and Yoan Gouffran.

"It would be foolish not to have targets, so there are a few people we are looking at, making a few phone calls just to see if they are staying until the summer or what their views may be," he said.

"Those are the sort of calls we are making. If we think there's an opportunity arisen - and there can be in January at times - then we will grasp it; if not, we won't.