Marseille midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa wants to quit the club in search of regular first-team football, according to reports in France.

The former Lyon left-winger, despite reported interest from Arsenal, Manchester United and Real Madrid, opted to remain in France by joining Marseille in summer 2008.

However, the French international has struggled to establish himself as a first-team regular at the Stade Velodrome.

The 22-year-old has started just one Ligue 1 game for Marseille so far this season, featuring several times as a substitute under new coach Didier Deschamps.

And with next summer's World Cup in South Africa on the horizon, Ben Arfa is believed to be ready to depart for pastures new in January, should his services not be used sufficiently between now and the New Year.

The news will, in all likelihood, alert both Arsenal and United, while Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea - pending their appeal against a transfer ban - are also reportedly admirers of the wide-man.


To anyone who comes up with "we don't need him": players with natural ability and talent such as this one should be snapped up no matter what. If they do fulfill their potential then it would be akin to a priceless acquisition by the club...and if they don't then meh.

so long as he is cheap why not? though if he isn't good enough for the french league can't see him being good enough for us

Arfa is how a chav would write Arthur, tbh

Good player but play for a wrong team IMO. He is much better playing for proper attacking side. :coffee:

Was shit hot two seasons ago..now he is rather shit than hot

Hes not sh*t....He has the potential to be a very, very, very good player.

He didn't do an awful lot the last 18 month...he's not shit, but he's not the ubertalent as he was seen a few years ago..we have enough young under-achievers

there was talk of him before we got Nasri.....tbh we don't need another wide player

Would Diaby leave if Ben Arfa came here?

:pray:

:haha:

I wanted him instead of Nasri, probably worked out for the best in the end but the pace and technique of the guy means he could become a top player, not sure he's needed but he's got the talent.

Not really needed but I think Wenger could turn him into a very good player

remember thinking this guy would be handy on the wings. Whats the point of vela if he comes though?

Can't see how he's an improvement to Vela either- another moody frenchman or an ever smiling mex-i-CAN?

Personally i'd rather us focus on buying players that we need, rather than those who we can get. It's a big difference.

:lol:

that's a new one for me. Amer-I-CAN!



Can anyone who actually watches a fair amount of Ben Arfa explain why he's not been able to get into the Lyon first team? He's no longer really a young player -- at 22, with his supposed talent, he should have been able to establish himself in what is a good but not great side.

Probably cos he plays for Marseille tbh

He doesn't play for Lyon.

yeah, you know, I actually knew that

in any case, smarty-folks, that makes the question even more pertinent -- OM is a weaker side than Lyon


btw -- well done, very quick to pounce. like a pair of frigging velociraptors you are

You edited that post 3 times. :lol:


As for your Ben Arfa expert, where's Brwned when you need him? :angry:

well, sure, you've got me looking over my damn shoulder now


Brwned seems to have left GW. :(

I don't know if it was coincidence but he stopped posting around the time someone started a thread in FC debate asking "what would brwned say?"

he probably thought it was a piss-take rather than adulation

What?! To think I had you down as an ameri-CAN't :getcoat:

:goodpost:

time to address the centre of both defence and midfield

another wide player will just make the queue to play one body longer


saying that he does seem to have the minerals to be a good player but tbh so does Nasri