Nicollin relieved to keep Cabella

Montpellier president Louis Nicollin is pleased he was able to keep Remy Cabella from moving to Newcastle in January following the 24-year-old's call-up to France's World Cup squad.

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Didier Deschamps selected the winger from his standby list after Franck Ribery was ruled out of the tournament through injury, and Nicollin expressed his relief at keeping hold of Cabella after the Magpies had shown strong interest during the January transfer window.

"I'm happy [for Cabella's call-up], because he's a great kid," Nicollin told French paper L'Equipe. "This shows the quality of our academy. It is highly probable that I'll go see all the national team's games.

"I'm happy I didn't sell him for eight million euros to Newcastle."

Nicollin had previously said in March that the player would be free to leave the Ligue 1 side this summer, but that Newcastle were not currently at the level that his talents deserved.

"We promised to let [Cabella] leave," he told RMC Sport. "But I'll advise him not to leave for just anywhere.

"In England, you should play at Arsenal or Chelsea or either of the Manchester teams at a push. Newcastle? They're good, aren't they?" he added.

Despite Montpellier finishing 15th in Ligue 1 this season, an impressive personal campaign in which he scored 11 and created five goals in 37 league appearances has also seen Cabella linked with a move to Manchester United.