Hatem Ben Arfa permanent deal sealed.

Posted on January 5th, 2011 | 59 Comments |

Ben Arfa: A permanent signing now.
Ben Arfa: A permanent signing now.
After much speculation, Newcastle United have finally confirmed that a permanent deal for Hatem Ben Arfa has been signed. Ben Arfa, originally brought in as a one year loan deal under Chris Hughton, has signed a deal that will leave the 23 year old French international contracted to the club until 2015.

The player himself has made a statement about the signing on the club’s official website, where he said:

“I am absolutely delighted to be signing for Newcastle United on a permanent basis.”

“During my short time at the club, I thoroughly enjoyed playing for the team and for the supporters too. This is a great club and I am very happy to be committing my future to them.

“I am getting back to fitness as quickly as I can and am really looking forward to getting back to St James’ Park, seeing the lads again, and of course working with Alan Pardew and his staff.

“During my time out, I have been inundated with messages of support from fans and I want to repay them all with good performances on the pitch later this season.”

Meanwhile, manager, Alan Pardew said of the new deal:

“When I came to the club last month, one of my priorities was to secure Hatem on a permanent deal.

“The last thing I wanted was for us to lose him when his loan ended so we’re really pleased to have agreed that deal today.

“He’s obviously a top player and he’s shown that in France, at international level and in his short time here at Newcastle.

“I’m delighted to secure Hatem as my first signing and once he’s back fit, I have no doubt he’ll confirm just what a superb player he is.”

Ben Arfa is quoted as signing for a sum of around £5.1 million, which really is quite remarkable for a young French international player of his undoubted quality. Alongside another recent signing of the club, Cheik Tiote, Ben Arfa is a player who has been compared with players who have cost several times the sum that Newcastle have paid for them, and both should be great deals for the club. Of course though, the player is still out of action after being viciously scissor tackled by Manchester City hatchet man, Nigel De Jong, which resulted in a double leg break in our away fixture with Manchester City on the 3rd October. It is thought that he will still be out for approximately another two months.

NUFCBlog Author: workyticket workyticket has written 1086 articles on this blog.

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Comment on this post

59 Responses

  1. I find it weird that he’s a fans favourite after two games. But admit I was excited after the Everton game and devastated after the Man City game. Hope he’s back fitter than ever and produces more of the same from the Everton game.

  3. Yessssssssssss
    Bowburn, the fact that he was even in the same bracket as Nasri and Benzema means we have something special here. Especially as we have a thing of straightening out off the rail players at the minute!
    I think we’re really close to an absolutely quality team here!
    Krul/Foster
    New rb new cb Colo Enrique
    New rm (Bentley?) Barton Tiote Ben Arfa
    Carroll New striker

    4 players and that is a team that could challenge for europe in a couple of years, as good as Nolan is I would prefer to play two up top rather than Nolan off Carroll. Otherwise Bartons playing blinding right mid and we could keep nolan in the centre

  4. It was a good idea to sign him on a loan deal with an automatic permanent signing after he played 25 games.

    Why change that now?

    It seems the club have been panicked into the signing by talk of Liverpool wanting him, but I very much doubt a manager on borrowed time would be given the go-ahead to buy a player with a troublesome reputation who is out for another few months with a double leg-break. More likely it was the lad’s agent spreading rumours to force the deal…

  5. SolanosTrumpet says:
    January 5, 2011 at 11:46 am

    “Especially as we have a thing of straightening out off the rail players at the minute!”

    That was Hughton though, ST, who seemed to have the knack for that sort of thing, like a good social worker or probation officer. Time will tell if things stay the same in that department under the more “confrontational” Pardew.

  7. looking out to be a quality side in the making now but we must stay up and keep our main guys happy but knowing ashley would definitely throw a spanner in the works

  8. Very true worky, but it’s been over a month now and i feel Hughtons legacy is still there, I think the team spirit he created won’t get broken down easily by Pardew and will keep the players tightly knit. Check out Jose’s twitter, the lad is so passionate!

    Also I like that we are hearing more from the club recently but is anyone else concerned about PArdew’s willingness to talk about literally everything?

  11. credit where credit is due … the contract which allowed this deal to be done now was written very well, and to our advantage.

    However I did say when the deal was done, that I was concerned about his attitude (he has a history of falling out with people). As he hasn’t been here at all (other than 2 games) we are still not sure about this side of his character.

    On this basis shouldn’t we have waited a few week/months before making the deal permanent??

  12. I find it just a bit amusing that we now have 3 young players who could add so much to the team and are all unavailable. HBA, Gosling and LuaLua. Roll on next season. :)

  13. Im pleased we’ve got him though. Probably the best flair player ive seen in a black and white shirt. He’s just one of those players with the ball on a piece of string ain’t he.

  14. Still can’t see why Josas and Routledge get dissed and the likes of Gradel are being touted as as good replacements. From what I could see of the last game Jonas seldom had less than 2 players on him every time he had the ball and was still causing problems. Routledge had the beating of anyone on the left side and did manage some decent crosses (still lots of room for improvement though)

  15. Wondering if we have an “out” clause in the deal if his injury adversely affects his ability to perform at his highest level from now on.

  16. Grumpy – I think its all to do with the final ball. Both never (or very rarely) find the man with their crosses.

    In recent games Routledge is getting better at getting past the man and creating space but seems to be getting worse with the final ball.

    I suppose Gradel has scored goals and so this is possibly where the improvement lies (although granted at a lower level)

  17. Fantoon – don’t think so … another reason why we should have waited a few week/months before making the deal permanent??

  18. Aye,
    but a half the time no striker has gambled & got into the box, or made sure that they on the end of the cross.
    Shearer would’ve.
    Our strikers stand waiting for crosses more than timing their run to meet the cross.
    Yea?
    ;)

  19. Clint – our strikers would have been in row ZZ if they wanted to get on the end opf anything from routledge last game ;)

  20. Welcome to Hatem Ben Arfa.
    Excellent signing, get in early with a decent length contract.
    It’s all starting to shape up for the future.
    At last some phucking forward thinking at the Toon.
    Whey hey.

  21. Hang him then, lynch the bastard.
    Easy to pick on the bad side like.
    Common policy at the Toon.
    ;)

  23. If strikers are standing in the box waiting, the crosser is under far more pressure to deliver a ‘perfect’ cross, a lot harder to do than early ball without thinking.
    Anyone who’s played the game knows that.
    Instinct works better than premeditation.
    Every time.

  24. CLiNT FLiCK says:
    January 5, 2011 at 1:10 pm

    ‘Shearer would’ve.’

    lol. we’re a different team now from the one Shearer played in.

  25. Sometimes fans have to ‘understand’ & be magnanimous in their support.
    Patience helps too.
    Then players confidence grows instead of receding.

  26. Clint – I accept the point, but it doesn’t take a genius to know that crossing to the stands is unacceptable at any level.

    He needs to improve this side of his game.

    Or do you think he’s perfect as he is ??

  27. DJG,
    what’s that got to do with how Shearer would approach the crossing of the ball?
    He didn’t get in the box too early, he attacked the near post, hang on the defender at the back post, knew when to arrive.
    That’s my point.

  28. If you go back to my original post, you’d realize that i was stating that quite a few of Routledges crosses are put into a great place, but there’s no one gambled/anticipated & got on the end of it.
    No one’s applauding bad crosses or bad work generally.
    ‘Nuff said.
    ;)

  29. Is this a sign of things to come?

    Credit to Pardew for sorting this out. It wouldn’t have happened under Hughton as the board wouldn’t back him.

    Well done, Alan.

  32. My last comment lost into the void!!

    I said, CLiNt, agreed with C18. AC is our only player with the nous to try to attack crosses. Shola continues to frustrate with his inability to beat a player one on one and poor first time ball control, I reckon he kills more atacking play than he helps. I think this may be why Pardew is having a good look at Best.
    I reckon Ranger or even Donaldson or Airey would be better, or perhaps even give Xisco some pitch time!

    Just as a minor point of interest is Ranger related to Boris’s transport bloke in London?

  34. CLiNT FLiCK says:
    January 5, 2011 at 1:12 pm
    Welcome to Hatem Ben Arfa.
    Excellent signing, get in early with a decent length contract.
    It’s all starting to shape up for the future.
    At last some phucking forward thinking at the Toon.
    Whey hey…..

    aye clint i agree – but how long do you think it’ll be before they undo it all ?.

    1 step foward & 2 back with this lot m8.

  35. Grumpy Old-Toon, very sorry about that. We are experiencing some technical difficulties at the moment. However these will be fixed very soon as we are moving on to a new server.

  40. Grumpy,
    i concur with most of that mate, but AC can be guilty of not attacking the front stick too, imho. & he can also be guilty of waiting for the ball to reach him. Not singling him out, just saying what i’ve observed so far. It’s probably the only stuff he needs to work on, then he’ll be complete.
    ;)

    Roy,
    Aye mate, but it’s a step in the right direction for this club. FFS always waited ’til the last second to sanction buys, which left us scratching around at the end of the window.
    Long may it continue(getting in early, that is.)
    ;)

  41. batty is it true your on toonsy’s payroll now ? or is it cash in hand ? – or is it just a vicious rumour m8.

  46. AngelOfDeath says:
    January 5, 2011 at 2:27 pm
    What’s toonsy new website address?<<<< i think worky is gonna put a link up for him m8 ,but it is on some posts on judases blog

  47. batty nowt to do with me m8’ey – just wot big dave was telling me in the caff the day like.

  49. evening lads, been reading for a while now but am a new poster,

    anyone got a link for tonights game??

    Cheers

  51. thanks mate..

    wonder if we might see gosling for a short cameo at the end if the result is going our way??

  53. I reckon its bollocks but a few mates posted (separately) on facebook that David Beckham has been spotted in Newcastle this afternoon.
    Be very surprised at that, also looks like we missed out on Robbie keane, he’s in advanced talks with Brum now..

  55. Also fantastic news about Benny. It’s a shame that he has been missing. If we had him in some games we could have been better off as he could have made the difference.

    Lot of coulds in there though mind :)

  56. good news about Benny – provided his wilder days are behind him.
    Good news a about Keane too. Have learned nothing from our experiences with overpaid has-beens? Besides – all this slagging-off of strikers isn’t really backed up by our scoring rate or league position is it?

  57. good news about Benny and Gosling poss in squad tonight
    If we can get another one poss two in jan transfer window we should be good for rest of season

  58. anyone got any links for tonights game – p2p link is pplive and i can’t be arsed to install

  59. Extremely exciting signing.

    Can’t believe some posters are still pesimistic???

    In Carroll, Tiote, Barton, Enrique, Ben Arfa we have some potential superstars.

    Then the solidity of Nolan, Coloccini, and the potential of Krul, Ranger, Gosling, what an exciting squad we’ve bulit…

    Its no coincidence we are thrashing teams on our day.

    Aston Villa 6-0, Sunderland 5-1, West Ham 5-0 and away wins at Arsenal and Everton…