Newcastle star Hatem Ben Arfa has given a number of interviews in the run-up to the important game against England on Monday night in the Euro 2012 Championships.
Hatem Ben Arfa – in action for Newcastle this year
Ben Arfa had a very successful season that’s just finished, in what was his first full season on Tyneside, after suffering a terrible double fracture of his left leg in October of 2010, which kept him out of the game for 10 months.
But the 25 year-old listened closely to what Alan Pardew said he wanted from him, if he was to be a starter at Newcastle, and since January the French international has produced the goods for Newcastle big time, and that has led to him rightfully regaining his spot in the French squad.
It’s true that some mercurial displays for France in the upcoming Euro 2012 Championships that start tonight, could have some big clubs coming after him in July and August, and he was asked about this by L’Equipe:
“If I do not have a really, really serious proposal, I’ll stay,” “If a big club comes, but does not propose something interesting – that is to say, the coach really wants me – I’ll stay.”
“If I do not feel the confidence of the [interested club’s] coach 100%, I will not leave. I still have three-year contract. But I know it can go fast.”
Those words from Ben Arfa in some reports are being seen as evidence that he will stay at Newcastle, but it seems that if Chelsea or some other big club came along for him after the Euros he may want to leave Newcastle, which would be terrible.
Of course the top stars are always being asked leading questions, and sometimes it’s hard for them not to fall into the trap of suggesting they may leave, even if they have no plans to do so, and there’s always the difficulties of translation.
If Ben Arfa plays next season as he has the last last five months of the season just passed, we expect Newcastle to offer the lad a new contract and tie him down at Newcastle long term, and longer than the three years left on his current deal.
And there seems no reason why players like Ben Arfa, Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse cannot take Newcastle into Europe consistently over the next few seasons.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
38 comments so far
ilovetoon8788
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:31 AM
Comment #1It had been suggested that a good showing in Poland and Ukraine could see one of Europe’s top clubs come knocking for Ben Arfa’s services, but he says it would take an extremely convincing offer to tempt him away from St James’ Park.
“If I do not have a really, really serious proposal, I’ll stay,” Ben Arfa told L’Equipe. “If a big club comes, but does not propose something interesting – that is to say, the coach really wants me – I’ll stay.
“If I do not feel the confidence of the [interested club’s] coach 100%, I will not leave. I still have three-year contract. But I know it can go fast.”
ilovetoon8788
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:32 AM
Comment #2Worrying if true.. If the club coming after him is 100% serious about him, we might just see him. There’s very few players like him in the world.
Hope we are already sourcing potential replacement for him.
G
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:32 AM
Comment #3Surely we would only let him go for a massive offer, after all, we are financially in decent shape, and under no pressure to sell. I would rather keep him than sell him, but if his head does get turned by CL football, then it would be pointless keeping an unhappy player on the books.
bandwarmy
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:35 AM
Comment #4He will stay imo. Its an exciting time to be involved with nufc atm. He will stay for at least another season. Lets hope he has a poor euros.
gorgonzola ( former Pecorino former to gorgonzola)
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:38 AM
Comment #5Younes Belhanda here we come 😀
No man Ben Arfa Cant leave let him with something with us then he can leave….
This is the predicament we are in…. the downside of cheap players in Expensive out will always haunt us, and I am afraid that if Ash doesn’t change the tune with specific players we will never win a thing especially now that the league has become so competitive.
Here is an interesting take…if you have a Chelksi or Citey you are not promised a title but if you dont have an Arab zillionaire or a Russian Oligarch you are almost certain you wont win a thing…
funny that relation…
I for one would be absolutely GUTTED and I would go into a depression if this lad goes sorry to say.
steinhof
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:39 AM
Comment #6I’d be gutted if he left, regardess of the money. I love tiote but if the right money was offered (£25m +) then i could accept allowing him to go would be for the best for the team (if it was re-invested) but not for Ben Arfa, just no.
lordjoesnow
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:41 AM
Comment #7Translation: ‘I’ll leave if you pay me ‘interesting’ high wages’
cyprus
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:43 AM
Comment #8Let’s hope HBA appreciates AP’s ‘huge contribution’ to his development (your words Ed, definitely not mine). Such players want to play for ambitious clubs that want to be winning things, now clubs that need fans ‘educated’ to accept mediocrity.
cyprus
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:45 AM
Comment #9‘now’= not
gorgonzola ( former Pecorino former to gorgonzola)
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:46 AM
Comment #10steinhof
+1
gorgonzola ( former Pecorino former to gorgonzola)
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:46 AM
Comment #11cyprus
I am afraid you might be right….
toonincheek
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:47 AM
Comment #12Wonder if he has a release clause? And how much that would be.
Considering what we paid for him, I doubt if
any release clause would be over £15 million.
berToon
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:48 AM
Comment #13This statement is taken out of context before he said that in lequipe he also said Ben Arfa in L’Equipe: ‘I’ve never been settled at a club before like I am at NUFC. I feel like I’m important there. It’s magnificent’
carlton nufc
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:49 AM
Comment #14Apparently newcastle have made an approach to the representatives of younes belhanda surely were get done for tapping up ?
ogm
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:50 AM
Comment #15If somebody like Barca came along, offering a huge transfer fee and huge wages for him, he’d go, simple as that.
I don’t think that will happen, I don’t want it to happen, but we have to be realistic, we couldn’t hope compete with any of the so called ‘big” clubs
Mark29Hungary
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:54 AM
Comment #16In the french team normally he’s in the bench but Blanc would give him the chance as a substitute.
if he do the job for france and scores goals like against Blackburn or Bolton, the “big club” will come…
BUT! In Newcastle HBA have a major role, and i think, that is very important for him.
newcben
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:55 AM
Comment #17I’m sorry this report has really pissed me off!!! If the whole interview was up no one would be as worried, yes Ben Arfa could leave and in my opinion he would be the biggest loss to our team and even when others doubted early on in the season I always knew what he would eventually do for us as iv followed him from a long time.
In the interview he also said:
“I’ve never been settled at a club before like I am at NUFC. I feel like I’m important there. It’s magnificent”
cyprus
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:55 AM
Comment #18So, AP, here’s your next speech dude:
“I am so proud of what we did last season and I want more of that next season! Confidence breeds success and success brings confidence, you know? We have a very good team, packed with international stars. We have shored up our defence with 15 clean sheets, we have a solid midfield with creativity and two forwards that score for fun and will learn to play together. Of course, given the fact that we have actually made a profit this year, we are looking to bring in two more stars, so that we can cope with the added requirements of next year. So, my message to fans and players: Exciting times at NUFC! Looking forward to the challenge!”
Beardo
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:57 AM
Comment #19If he dazzles throughout the forthcoming season and avoids injury for the whole thing, then we’ll have a very successful season (he’s crucial), probably similar to this one, however with an extended cup run and perhaps lifting one! If this happens, then I think he’ll find it hard to leave, particularly if we defy the odds and gain CL footy. I reckon an elite club will come calling either way if he performs well, a Real Madrid type, if so then there’s almost nothing we could do, apart from rinse them for 30m+, which he’ll be easily valued at if he continues in the same vein for an entire season.
GeordieToon89
Jun 8, 2012 at 9:58 AM
Comment #20Who said weve made an approach to Belhanda
kingkev9
Jun 8, 2012 at 10:00 AM
Comment #21Not left a comment for a long time, try not to read the utter garbage that Ed writes on here. Non stories every day, terrible writing style, stirring up gossip which doesn’t help the club, basically just talking sh1te every single day
Nick 69
Jun 8, 2012 at 10:02 AM
Comment #22we need to try nd get HBA tied to to a longer contract I think now, as if this is true he clearly has intentions of leaving us soon as a bigger club comes calling. With only 3 years left if he impresses over the next season or so our sell on fee will drastically reduce
mattnufc
Jun 8, 2012 at 10:07 AM
Comment #23I’m sure every Newcastle player feels the same..
davybtoon
Jun 8, 2012 at 10:07 AM
Comment #24Stop worrying about players leaving for god sake
Hatem's better than Messi
Jun 8, 2012 at 10:16 AM
Comment #25He’s the one player who will be impossible to replace.
Let’s hope France have a lousy time in the EC.
newcben
Jun 8, 2012 at 10:17 AM
Comment #26Look its just common sense that if one of the big clubs come in for him he is off and we can all be delusional and pretend there isn’t a bigger club than Newcastle but in reality there is.
If Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City, Barca, Real, Bayern come in for him he will want to leave and who are we to blame him….what sports wouldn’t want to play the highest of levels and have a chance of winning the Champs League and earning as much money as you before your short career is over.
Look at it logically people, he is basically saying a team on par with us which are still very good teams come in he won’t want to leave but if a mega club approach he would consider it! I actually think this is a positive report for us as he seems happy, settled and has a great relationship with fans, team mates and manager.
headtheball
Jun 8, 2012 at 10:19 AM
Comment #27kingkev @ 20
Hope it’s a long time until your next pearl of wisdom.
Why do you bother.
GO elsewhere and moan.We like ED.
fungus44
Jun 8, 2012 at 10:20 AM
Comment #28Papers again writing what they want putting their spin on what was relay said,winding up the nfc fans
Szarka
Jun 8, 2012 at 10:28 AM
Comment #293year is enough, he can leave if they pay a lot of money. But they wont pay 20+ for him and MA wont sell him cheaper then that, so he will stay.
Toon_Jock
Jun 8, 2012 at 10:41 AM
Comment #30No Benny, NO!! PLEASE don’t go!!
We sign you up while on the treatment bench, after being exiled on loan cause of attitude problems, not even sure if you’d make a full recovery (massive risk) then AP & staff help you regain your fitness/confidence (the latter was lacking first few months after your return from the nasty injury) and helped you knuckle down into becoming the team player you know you can be.
So come on Benny boy, show us some NUFC team spirit and stay… CHEEEEEEEEEERS 🙂
Hatem's better than Messi
Jun 8, 2012 at 10:44 AM
Comment #31@Szarka
Sure Ashley could say no … but he’ll be unsettled.
If a player wants to go you have to let him nowadays.
cupiddstunt
Jun 8, 2012 at 10:54 AM
Comment #32berToon @ # 15
I think you fighting a losing battle on this thread the neggers have not had a lot to work with recently and are crawling back out of the woodwork here.
cupiddstunt
Jun 8, 2012 at 10:54 AM
Comment #33sorry @ # 13
Rotonda heights
Jun 8, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Comment #34Kingkev
just do one you miserable…..You never have anything constructive to say about anything.
Maybe you should wear a rubber band on your wrist and twang it every time you complain.
GarageFlower
Jun 8, 2012 at 12:50 PM
Comment #35On Sky Sports website it also has him saying that he also doesn’t forget that Mike Ashley signed him permanently whilst he was injured and feels gratitude for that. Basically he won’t go unless a stupid offer is accepted for him.Likewise almost any player in the world has their price that a club couldn’t turn down.
Charlietoon
Jun 8, 2012 at 5:34 PM
Comment #36I think he is one of those players that if he left he would find the grass is not greener. He was also most likely responding to a question like “How would you feel if Barcelona or Real Madrid came in for you”?
tiotal football
Jun 8, 2012 at 7:01 PM
Comment #37King Kev! what a wonderful surprise to see you and your pessimism on Ed’s immense blog
Glad to see you were right about Pardew and how successful our team was going to be this season….
bassongs_of_praise
Jun 8, 2012 at 10:12 PM
Comment #38He didnt hint at anything of the sort – quit it with the sensationalist headlines ffs.