Hatem Ben Arfa Set to Sign with OGC Nice After Newcastle Exit
After being linked with moves to Juventus in Italy and several clubs in Germany, French international Hatem Ben Arfa appears to have chosen a return to Ligue 1. According to Nice Matin, the 27-year-old attacking midfielder has reached a verbal agreement to join OGC Nice following the termination of his contract with Newcastle United.
Ben Arfa, who had spent the first half of the season on loan at Hull City, parted ways with Newcastle earlier this month. The former Lyon and Marseille star had struggled for consistency in recent years but remains one of French football’s most gifted — and enigmatic — talents.
Sources close to the club say that the player is expected in Nice at the start of next week to undergo a medical. If successful, he will sign a contract with the Côte d’Azur side, marking a return to French football after nearly five years in England.
While a move to Juventus or a Bundesliga side might have offered Ben Arfa a more high-profile stage, joining Nice could provide the stability and playing time he needs to reignite his career. The club’s management are said to be confident in his ability to make a strong impact in Ligue 1.
Once considered one of the brightest prospects in Europe, Ben Arfa will be hoping this latest chapter allows him to recapture the form that once made him a regular with the French national team.
