Hatem Ben Arfa Again Omitted from Newcastle’s Germany Tour
Newcastle United midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa has been left out once more from the squad travelling to Germany for the Schalke 04 Cup, highlighting ongoing tensions between the French international and manager Alan Pardew.
Ben Arfa, who was previously excluded for being “a bit overweight,” continues to find himself on the fringes of the team after a difficult season with the Magpies. His strained relationship with Pardew appears to be far from resolved, with the coach showing little sign of reintegrating the talented but inconsistent playmaker.
The squad named for the trip to Germany features a mixture of senior players and youth prospects, including Tim Krul, Fabricio Coloccini, Moussa Sissoko, and new signing Rémy Cabella.
Newcastle’s travelling party for the Schalke 04 Cup is as follows: Aarons, Abeid, Alnwick, Anita, Armstrong, Cabella, Campbell, Colback, Coloccini, Dummett, Elliot, Gouffran, Haidara, Janmaat, Krul, Obertan, Perez, Rivière, Satka, Sissoko, Streete, S Taylor, Tiote, Vuckic, Williamson, and Yanga-Mbiwa.
Ben Arfa’s future at St James’ Park remains uncertain as the club prepares for the new season without one of its most mercurial talents.
