Crystal Palace have pulled off one of the deals of the transfer window so far by confirming the acquisition of Yohan Cabaye from Paris Saint-Germain.

Alan Pardew has utilised his relationship with the France international from their mutual time at Newcastle to the Selhurst Park club’s benefit, and the talented playmaker is sure to lift the standard of football at the London club next season.

Palace are said to have beaten a number of substantial suitors to the ex-Lille man’s signature, which should be seen as quite the coup.

However, with Cabaye clearly on the market and with experience of the Premier League previously, why weren’t Arsenal or Liverpool in for him?

It is fair to say that the Frenchman’s reputation and standing in the game may well have dropped over the last 18 months, with Cabaye probably looking back at his time with PSG as frustrating and full of regret.

Due to the star-studded and competitive nature of Laurent Blanc’s options in the centre of the park, the former Newcastle star more often than not found himself behind the likes of Marco Verratti, Thiago Motta and Blaise Matuidi for a starting berth. As such, Cabaye is seemingly not held in as high regard as he was in his days on Tyneside, where the box-to-box star was viewed as one of the most complete midfielders in the Premier League. Cabaye’s performances for the St James’ Park outfit were so impressive that Arsenal made an attempt to land the player six months before he left the Geordies for the French capital.

Fast forward to the current day and there is an argument to suggest that the Gunners boss should have revisited their interest in the midfielder.

Although a couple of years older and not having played consistent football over the last six months due to his dilemma at the Parc des Princes, there is no denying Cabaye’s quality.

The Palace star would surely have been an excellent foil for Francis Coquelin in the centre of Arsenal’s midfield and allowed Santi Cazorla to play further forward as a result.

Liverpool on the other hand have just lost longstanding talisman Steven Gerrard and will have to rejig things in the boiler room in 2015/16.

James Milner has been brought to Anfield and is presumably set to partner new captain Jordan Henderson in the centre of midfield, with Joe Allen and Lucas Leiva other options for Brendan Rodgers.

Cabaye, however, looks like an ideal midfielder for the Reds

Full of running and hard work, the France international’s range of passing, willingness to get forward and ability to shoot from distance surely would have been excellent assets for the Merseyside club.

As it is Cabaye looks set to star at Selhurst Park, with most neutrals hoping to see the talented playmaker back to his best.

Arsenal and Liverpool may well look at the Frenchman in six months and wonder why they did not intervene this summer.