Howay Cabaye

Yohan Cabaye is Newcastle's first summer signing

French midfielder Yohan Cabaye became Alan Pardew's first signing as Newcastle manager earlier today and Magpies fans are hoping he will be just the first of many summer acquisitions.

The creative midfielder, who has four caps for his country, signed a five-year deal after joining from French champions Lille for a reported £4.3million.

His capture has led to much excitement from Newcastle fans, who can't wait to see the 25-year-old in action next season.

Cabaye is a technically gifted player and looks set to add a much-needed spark to the Magpies' midfield. Newcastle scored goals aplenty last season, particularly at home, but lacked a flair player to open up defences and Cabaye could be just the man to solve that problem.

He is described as a player with excellent vision and ball control by regular French football watchers and is a prolific set-piece taker, with his penalties, free-kicks and corners playing a crucial role in Lille's league and cup double-winning campaign last season.

Many describe him as a holding midfielder but in reality he is a box-to-box player very much in the mould of Barcelona's Xavi (of course, that is not me suggesting he is of that calibre).

Cabaye in action for former club Lille, with whom he won the French league and cup double last season

His signing was pretty much the worst-kept secret in football but Newcastle fans are relieved the deal is now confirmed so the club can move onto strengthening other areas, particularly in attack.

Cabaye, a former France under-21 captain, has described the move to Tyneside as "fantastic" while Pardew described his signing as a player with a "first class pedigree", with Newcastle delighted to have signed Cabaye in a cut-price deal.

Pardew knows the real hard work of this transfer window is still to come though.

For a start, there are question marks over where the Cabaye deal leaves key players Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton.

Both are involved in bitter contract discussions with the club, with both turning down new offers. The club do not want to hand a long-term deal to 28-year-old Nolan while they have withdrawn their offer to Barton, meaning both could leave unless Pardew makes an intervention.

Many have suggested Cabaye is a direct replacement for Nolan - who has been linked with a move to West Ham - but parting with Nolan would be a foolish decision by Newcastle.

Nolan has been Newcastle's talisman over the last two seasons

Nolan has iconic status on Tyneside for the goals he scored in the side's Championship-winning campaign and last season, particularly for his hat-trick against arch-rivals Sunderland.

He is also the captain and has led the club brilliantly in the last year.

A further point the board should consider is his influence on the current squad, with his departure likely to unsettle players like Barton, Jose Enrique and Cheik Tiote and push them further towards the door.

Nolan should not be let go under any circumstances this summer but his demands for a five-year deal are unrealistic at his age. He should be more flexible if he wants to stay and hopefully from Newcastle's point of view a compromise can be reached.

As for Barton, the situation appears more complicated.

Joey Barton is immensely popular with Newcastle's fans

The club want him to take a significant pay cut and while he is willing to take a pay cut, it is thought he does not want to drop to the figures offered to him by the club.

He was a key player for Newcastle last season, perhaps their best player, so again it would be silly for the Magpies to let him go now.

Cabaye wore the number seven shirt at Lille, the same number worn by Barton at Newcastle, but is not thought to have been brought in as a replacement for him.

Barton only has one year left on his contract so fans will again be hoping a compromise can be reached. If Nolan and Barton are to leave, owner Mike Ashley and managing director Derek Llambias would become even more unpopular than they already are.

If left-back Jose Enrique leaves, that will further disgruntle Newcastle fans.

Newcastle are struggling to tie 25-year-old Enrique down to a new contract

Enrique is in a similar situation to Barton, with just one year left on his current deal, but the club have offered him improved terms.

It does appear likely the Spaniard will leave, with Liverpool said to be heavily interested, but Newcastle need to do everything in their power to keep hold of him this summer.

Other key players, such as Cheik Tiote, also need to be retained but captures like that of Cabaye should persuade the likes of Tiote that Newcastle are heading in the right direction and have plenty of ambition.

After sorting out the situations of players already on Newcastle's books, Pardew will then need to make more signings.

Of course, he will need to replace anyone who leaves but that is something he should put to the back of his mind until any outgoings are confirmed.

Alan Pardew has been in charge of Newcastle since December 2010

Regardless of who leaves, the club desperately needs at least one, probably two new strikers and the club look to have been spurned in their attempts to sign Lorient's Kevin Gameiro.

Reading's Shane Long and West Ham's Demba Ba are the next most heavily-linked strikers but Pardew will need to come up with a bigger name to excite fans.

Those fans are still disillusioned with the sale of Andy Carroll in January and will not be appeased until a top-class striker has took his place.

The Magpies also seem determined to sign some wingers with flair, and have been strongly linked with Gervinho and Charles N'Zogbia.

Former Magpie Charles N'Zogbia is thought to want a move back to St James' Park

Both those signings would be welcome on Tyneside but it remains to be seen whether the club are willing to pay the transfer fees and large wages it would take to bring them to St James' Park.

Swansea's left-back Neil Taylor is a likely acquisition but he would be more of a back-up player next season.

Newcastle's fans will be desperately hoping he is an understudy to Enrique but if the Spaniard leaves, do not expect Taylor to step straight into the side. Newcastle will have to find a more established replacement for Enrique if they do lose their battle to keep him.

Newcastle fans are so cynical with their club's board now that any transfer speculation will not be believed until signings are officially confirmed.

The deal for Cabaye will surely be the first of many at St James' Park this summer but fans will have to be patient.

The prospect of seeing Cabaye play in a black and white shirt next season is exciting but fans need to keep their feet on their ground as good form in France does not always translate to good form in England.

For now though, supporters should just be happy the club's transfer business has begun.

For Pardew, it could be a long summer.