Marseille rule out Hatem Ben Arfa loan deal

Aug 13 2010 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

MARSEILLE have apparently ended Newcastle United’s hopes of signing France midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa on a season-long loan – and taken a swipe at the Magpies and boss Chris Hughton in the process.

In a chaotic day in the chase for the winger the player refused to train for the French champions and walked out of the club after Marseille president Jean-Claude Dassier said there was no chance of letting him go on loan.

Dassier also rubbed salt in United’s wounds by saying the club is a shadow of its former self and the club would not be a “secure” choice for the 23-year-old.

But despite those strong words from the Stade Velodrome, The Journal understands that Newcastle have not given up hope of signing the player on a season-long loan and that negotiations are continuing behind the scenes.

Indeed, an angry Ben Arfa walked out of Marseille’s training ground yesterday – with reports from France detailing an angry bust-up between him and coach Didier Deschamps, who he does not want to play for again.

It all adds up to a messy situation for the French side with Newcastle – who were surprised by the Marseille president’s comments – hoping to capitalise before the transfer window closes.

United thought they had agreed a fee of around £700,000 to sign the player on a season-long loan over the weekend but Marseille came under pressure from angry fans and changed their thinking on the deal early in the week.

A defiant Dassier, speaking to journalists after Ben Arfa walked out of training, said the player would be staying in France and that he had found United boss Chris Hughton’s public declaration that there had been no contact between the two clubs “strange”.