Cabaye: Newcastle now showing Champions League potential

Former Newcastle United star Yohan Cabaye is impressed with how much the club has changed.

Cabaye, who starred in the Premier League before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain, was comparing the Newcastle he recalled to the one that is now competing in the Champions League.

Cabaye admits that a lot has changed thanks to the money the new Saudi Arabian owners have brought into the club.

It was a different project at that time (at Newcastle)," he told The Mail.

We finished fifth and our season after reminds me a little bit of West Ham last season.

They won the Conference League and we made the quarter-final in Europe against Benfica but the Premier League was difficult, because if you don't have the squad to compete, those two competitions are not easy."

Yes. I'm glad to see Newcastle at the top, under the lights, in Europe," he added.

I can see the new ownership is working well. I had the chance to meet Dan Ashworth (Newcastle sporting director) at the draw in Monaco and we talked together. He is someone with competence, good quality, and I know they are going the right way.

It could have been easy to spend money after money after money on players that don't fit the project. But they are doing well. And to see St James' with 52,000 every game, screaming, this stadium is so loud.

It's been 20 years without the Champions League. If the club wants to be a big team in Europe, they have to play Europe every season. But they have the potential, for sure."