PSG star anxious for Premier League return

Hatem Ben Arfa is pushing for a move back to the Premier League after a disappointing spell at PSG.

According to reports, Ben Arfa is unhappy about how low down in the pecking order he is. PSG are supposedly willing to let him leave on a free transfer, which has interested a number of Premier League clubs. A move to a lower level club could be what he needs to rejuvenate his career. The Premier League seems the likely place he would move to due to his high wage demands.

For a bottom half team this has the potential to be a bargain. There are a few caveats which have to be acknowledged, though. The team would have to be built around him in order to get the best out of him. He’s also unlikely to track back defensively, which links into the previous point. Loyalty is another issue because he is likely to use his next club as a stepping stone to get back to the top.

At 30-years-old he has reached his peak, but he is a technically gifted player. The issue with him has been his mindset, though, because he hasn’t been consistent. Promising periods in his career have been followed by seasons of stagnation.

Potential role

A team that clearly has the intention of using Ben Arfa for short-term aims could benefit from him. He showed in his time at Newcastle that he can offer a significant threat from wide areas. Although, he was sometimes used as a central playmaker, so he is clearly flexible in the roles that he can play.

Whereas, at Nice, Claude Puel prioritised using him as a playmaker which he rewarded by having his most prolific season to date with 17 goals and 6 assists. The team had a solid defensive structure to support him and he had two strikers to play off, which suited him and made up for his lack of defensive work.

Potential teams

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West Ham are the team that suit him the most because they currently seem to be focusing on the short-term based on their summer window recruitment. He could be used in a similar way to how Dimitri Payet was utilised with the majority of the team’s play going through him. Although, they do have Manuel Lanzini who is equally capable at playing this role. However, the Argentinian is injury-prone, which could create a potential opening for Ben Arfa.

Newcastle United and Southampton are two other potential Premier League teams that could suit him. The Saints could use his goalscoring ability because they are struggling to score currently. They create plenty and are a well-organised side, so they have the necessary tools to allow him to flourish.

Rafa Benítez utilises a similar setup with the Magpies, but his side have issues creating rather than being clinical. Ben Arfa could be used as their source of creativity in a team which prioritises being a cohesive unit. However, there are potential issues because Benítez might not favour someone who could easily be labelled as a ‘luxury player’. He also might not fit in with Jonjo Shelvey who likes to create and dictate from deep positions.

Next: Rafa Benítez linked with Everton job

The prioritisation of avoiding relegation by using short-term options means that it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Ben Arfa moving to a Premier League club in the January transfer window.