Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew believes Yohan Cabaye's January departure cost the club a spot in the Europa League for next season.
The French midfielder joined Paris Saint-Germain for around £20million in the winter transfer window leaving the Magpies in a big hole as they were unable to swiftly sign a replacement.
Newcastle will now have to wait until the summer to bring in a new playmaker but Pardew is confident that can be achieved.
"It's fair to say that the transfer made it harder to qualify for Europe - and I don't think anyone would disagree with that - because we couldn't replace him," he said.
"But that doesn't mean to say we can't replace him in the summer.
"We know we have got good players here, but we do need that controller of the ball, that manoeuvrer, that clever player, and we will get one in the summer, for sure."
