Ben Arfa deal agreed?

Posted on August 9th, 2010 | 104 Comments |

Hatem tuned up for Toon?
Hatem tuned up for Toon?
It looks like the Ben Arfa saga could be drawing to a close as press reports seem to indicate that a deal has been reached between Newcastle and Marseille.

The Journal reports that Newcastle and Marseille have agreed a fee of around £700,000 to secure the services of the French international on a season long loan deal with an option to purchase the player at the end of the season most likely.

Personal details are yet to be finalised, but they are at the point where Ben Arfa’s agent has said it would be “impossible to comment”. Marseille president Jean-Claude Dassier, who mentioned the possibility of a deal over the weekend, has revealed that more talks are planned between the two clubs today.

A loan to buy deal is probably the best outcome for Newcastle as it means we should get first refusal on the player at the end of the season if the club wish to sign him permanantly, well we would if the deal was negotiated properly anyway!

Details are sketchy at the moment, but the deal could be drawn out because of the midweek international break. Despite that, it certainly seems as though the saga is close to a conclusion and that Ben Arfa could be a Newcastle player sooner rather than later.

Could this be Hughton’s ‘wow’ signing?

More to follow, no doubt!

NUFCBlog Author: toonsy toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.

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Comment on this post

104 Responses

  1. Superb bit of news this!

    Sounds like we might actually get the lad now. Fingers crossed.

    Cheers Toonsy

  3. A loan would be good Toonsy,I don’t think it really matters how the deal is negotiated with regards to buying him as the player would still be the one to decide where he wants to go.If he comes and if he’s having a good season I’d try and get it tied up in Jan.

  4. What fascinates me is I know we all LOVE the mags otherwise we would not be here ! BUT why honestly is he leaving Marseilles , who are the league winners currently , and coming to if WE are lucky a bottom 8 side in the EPL , dumfounds me ….

  5. For previous article,Nufc.com says Smith is “injury”~~~

    Here’s the part.

    NUFC: Steven Taylor, Dan Gosling, Danny Simpson and Tamas Kadar are injured, while Sol Campbell isn’t yet match fit. Former Red Devil Alan Smith missed the trip to Rangers with a minor injury. News is awaited of whether Jose Enrique has any ill-effects following his hasty withdrawal early in the second half at Ibrox.

  7. Oh,and i still got a sneaky feeling,this is not the real “wow” Signing of CH~~~ ^_^

  8. This would be our biggest signing at newcastle in years! Ben Arfa really is a magical little player with that little bit of class that can turn a game in an instant! If Chris Hughton can get him playing to his potential then we could have one of the best young talents in europe playing for us next season!

    Follow this up with either Tuncay from Stoke City or Kevin Prince Boatang (who we have been linked with this morning)and i think we would have a very decent squad indeed!

    This bit of news has rocked me inot life at work this morning :-) xxxxxx

  9. I won’t believe a thing until NUFC announce it.
    An initial loan deal sounds the best option tbh giving his reputation etc.

  10. Hmmm,toonsy…if given a choice.

    would you want Kadar or Perch to cover for Enrique?

    I don’t think Kadar injury is that serious right…

  11. Toonsy…nae wonder we get slagged off ya’ve got us in Europe already…Valencia!!!! :lol:
    (I know he means the Man Utd player) ;-)

  12. AOD – Thing with Kadar is that it is a groin injury so it needs be a steady recovery or else it will just go again.

    Perch or Kadar? Well Kadar drifts inside a lot of the time and Perch hasn’t really been tried there but looked ropey when he did. Out of the two, I would still play Kadar there.

  13. Rich – Aye, just James Perch v Valencia, and we’ll still turn over that tiny club from the Orange place :lol:

    Hello Mick ;)

  14. To nzedtoonman….

    He wants to leave marseille because (a) the French league is nowhere near up to the standard of the PL and (b) he has been tagged as the future of french football for the past couple seasons; this has been a bit of a weight around his shoulders and the press in france can be just as if not more savage than back here in england.

    Getting out of France is seen as the best thing for his to blossom and become the player he wants to be!

    I’d imagine we would probably pay more in wages than marseille and Finally…i believe that if he comes to a club like newcastle and performs then he may think that this may ultimately lead to him moving to a more glamourous club i.e. the top four or five in england….

  15. Notice chris also mentions the back four, after watching valencia & rooney leave cole chaseing shadows yesterday I hope jose is fully fit. Perch playing at left back against the manc’s is the stuff nightmares are made of.

  16. looks promising – lets get a nippy, clever striker in to partner AC and i’d be happier, Tuncay is a good shout, very underrated but a good quality player imo!!
    KPB would also be a very useful addition, but i’d like to see A Gyan, strong, quick, striker, he would do well i think.
    What about a sneaky loan bid for robbie Keane????

  17. I do not think there will be any “wow” signing from Us. At best a couple of decent players. Journeymen Types….:-)

  18. perch is horribly skinny. 8O

    I wonder he got the strength to out muscle Valencia or not.

  22. So Ben Arfa’s personal details are yet to be finalised?

    Funny feeling his French call up might just bring him to think he’s worth more in wages. Another stumbling block in the making?

  23. NJ , so we are a stepping stone bit like Tevez , for hammers for want of a better similarity…

  24. Lesh – The wages will be the same as he is on at Marseille, it’s just how it is split that will be the stumbling block. We will probably pay all of his wages if he comes, but they can’t be higher than his conracted wage as he is still under OM contract terms

  25. lesh………I would have thought if it is a loan deal he’d only get paid what his current contract says mate and its also not his first cap so hopefully wouldnt make a difference.

  26. I cant believe Mick Dennis came on to the blog and not a single person replied to his post… :lol:

  28. going oot for beer now , its 9.30 pm this end so pubs only open for few more hours, good crack toonsy are you a new romantic mullet wearer like yer moosic ? aal the best ,,,,,

  29. CC…done it all by email,he’s my new penpal ;-)
    I s’pose at least he replied,alot wouldn’t.

  31. The spuds need the money so I can’t see Keane being loaned out, tuncay is a good player but is he any better the lovenkrands?

    Kadar won’t be fit to cover leftback against man u & as toonsy said “tends to drift inside”. I think Kadar could actually make a good defensive midfielder, he has the ability.

    Perch played quite a bit at LB for forrest last season & didn’t exactly shine, willing to give the lad a chance but not against the manc’s. He actually made quite a few good over-lapping runs down the right on saturday but rarely got a pass.

  32. CC/Rich – It was actually Mick Dennis aswell :lol:

    You see, all the celebs flock to NUFCblog.org :lol:

  35. Interview? On his views of Newcastle United? :lol:

    Just goes to show, it doesn’t matter how many blog posts are done a day, it’s how engaging they are that counts ;);)

  36. Where’s the post Mick Dennis put up? He’s a carrott munching Bernard Matthews accented fool.

    Ben Arfa is better than we could have hoped for at the minute, great deal, someone with pace and creativity who could be a catalyst for our slow midfield plodders.

  37. would prefer to get him in on a permanent deal. if he’s successful others will be in for him. a better deal wages wise or a club in a ‘fashionable’ city doon south and we’ll lose him. if we think he’s the right type of player and CH can handle him – go for it. We can always sell him on if he works himself, there’s always some club who’ll take good players no matter what the baggage (bellamy etc.)

  38. I hope for everyone sakes that it does come to fruition, as no doubt it would be a great signing but something just does not feel right. atleast i won’t be counting any chickens.

  39. Toonsy, Richie.. thanks for clarifying that.

    Wonder what’ll happen if he has a blinder for us and we’re up against ‘bigger fish’ coming in to sign him. D’you reckon we’ll build in a first option clause into the loan agreement?

  40. Lesh – For a loan fee there is usually a first refusal and pre-agreed price.

    Think of the loan fee as deposit.

    So it could be (as an example)

    £700,000 now
    £5,000,000 in the summer

    Or something like that.

  42. IF HBA signs, I think a fee will be agreed at the beginning of the deal to make it permanent at the end of the season!!

    This has to be the the correct deal, I mean not looking at the finances of such a deal in depth before buying would be disaster….and Mr Ashley after all is a successful business man, he would always……erm…….look at the deal………before ????………buying …..mmmm……wouldnt he?

  43. It might be the cause of wages will stay the same for duration of loan but we are trying to finialise the wages with the player in the case that we do take the option to buy him after the loan. Or would this need to be done at the time we actaully invoke the option to buy?

    If we could agree future wages and have it so it was our decision only this would take away the power of the player if he did happen to have a great season and other clubs came in for him…

  44. TOONSY if this one comes off is that 4 ex in a row for you,thats another one in eye for big dave lol

  45. Another way to look at is if we can agree a deal with HBA now for next season, then even if he does go to another club we can claim compo like Man Utd did with Obi Mikel for break an agreement ;) ;)

  46. Lets hope this become true and doesnt turn out to be flop and waste of time :) hoping for the best.

    I reckon we can come away from man united with 1 point or with all 3 points.Atleast our defence was a mess like Chelsea on sunday !

  50. Hope you’re right about the ‘loan to buy’ deal toonsy. That would be ideal if we can get something like that sorted. However not aware of many deals happening like that in practice. Power is always with the player if they are playing well. Get him tied down to a contract where at least we will be compensated if he decides to go elsewhere. £6m ish for a 23 year old player rated treble that not too long ago has got to be worth a chance.Sign him up to a contract he ‘might’ honour. You know our history with French players!!!

  52. DAVY arevalo for me m8 at least i saw him play in w.c.a few times and twice before that.but some will say flamini has ep ex,but that might mean a bigger wage packet

  53. If it is a loan wit option to buy n everything is agreed correct me if iam but u can make permanent outside the transfer window but become offical once window opened, ie if we agree 5m fee n a 4 year deal now for next season we can take up that option anytime during the season n hba can sign the deal but it will b offical once a window opens

  55. Carroll withdraw from U21s. Slight injury at Rangers. Bit of a worry. He hasn’t really been firing on all cylinders so far.

  56. i cannot help but think that we will somehow be used to put this kid in the shop window,if he does well one of the big boys will buy him at the end of the season.
    we may well get first refusal on him,but does not mean we wont get gazumped if a man city decided to throw their hat into the ring.
    the other problem could be his attitude,if he comes waltzing into the dressing room with a superstar mentality,upsetting our players.will he have that i’m a big fish in a small pond mindset,there’s also a certain tyneside lindsay lohan joey barton to throw into the mix.
    the lad has got talent great if it works out,but our experience with players across the channel,is dubious to say the least.

  57. If reports r true arevalo was in talks wit panithinikos but talks stopped bcoz we had bid accepted

  58. Seems very Robert like both in looks, playing position and French from another countryness.

    Would be great if we got him. So far we have signed, lets be honest here; a promising buy fairly average and one-paced Everton substitute, who happens to be knackered. A championship utility defender, who is yet to prove himself as both a)a prem player and b)capable of one specialist position. And a certain ex Arsenal and England CH who is not in the Autumn but more like the christmas dinner (pun intended) of his career.

    Ben Arfa would be in contrast a marquee signing, even if for just a year I think if he does well Ashley would be bitch-slapped into signing him permanently. Lets hope unlike Robert he can leave his attitude in France.

    Toonsy I like these ‘Where are you’ threads, just need a post from Alan Smith got one from Mick Dennis. For today what about James Milner where are you going. :)

  60. DAVY aye thats what was said,but it was reported by the rags which i dont trust.
    toonsy might find something out,hes looking for a 5th

  61. If terms r to agreed surely there terms for wen its made permanent wages n lenght of contract, as loan deal all u do agree wit the club ya loanin from we will pay his wages, all he has to do is yea I will or won’t go there n he’s decided that buy refusin to talk to anyone else

  64. Ryan Toon – The general concensus from reports both here and abroad is either tomorrow or Wednesday. Personall I think it will be Friday. Kepp it under the radar a bit as the focus will mainly be on the Prem.

  67. btw did you hear carrol is injured and dose anyone know if he will be back for the man u game

  70. He wanted to prove you wrong toonsy, As one of the original doubters that this deal will go through, You seem to be lapping up the praise for your prediction… ;)

  73. CC – Moi?? 8O

    I’ll have you know I am being very magnanamous, but Icedog is right, this would be the third deal or something like that I have called right.

    Four if you include Leon Best, although I tend to not admit that one :lol:

  77. For someone who wrote an Article titled:

    Newcastle in Ben Arfa bid, but believe it at your peril!

    That had a first sentence reading:

    I have tried to steer clear of the rumour regarding Hatem Ben Arfa as I just simply don’t believe it.

    Youres and Icedog telepaphic understanding obviously meant you called it without our prior knowledge…. ;)

  79. Ryan – You said about the injuries, which will be my next article. I was writing it when you said it :)

    Icedog – I’m not sure. i don’t think it will be a midfielder to be honest. Sorry bud :)

  80. in fact it was nearly 5 the bexford one crashed at last min,was nice to see leeds get stuffed as well :)

  83. I’m not going to change my opinion of Mr Dennis & I guess he will not change his opinion of us, but at least he replyed & how many blogs can claim to have such a well-known journo posting.

  86. CC – Well put. can’t understand why the author would bash every single player mentioned in the article as well as chris hughton, who granted is not one of the more colourful and interesting managers, but is still a very kind and honourable man.

    otherwise, can’t wait to see ben arfa pulled off as well as anyone else we are going for, as hughton seems to sign people that the media haven’t picked up, which is always fantastic.

  87. Noir9 – We had one of the NUST cronies posting on here a while back, threatening legal action.

    They soon dropped it when they realised Workyticket was right :lol:

  88. Sir Erec says:
    August 9, 2010 at 12:04 pm

    “otherwise, can’t wait to see ben arfa pulled off”

    8O 8O 8O 8O

  92. Is that the same Ryan toon from Ed’s who used to brand wor Jose as a terrible player and well..just lacked football knowledge in general?
    That post about Ben a did have me laughing though toonsy! Asks for a day, you give him one and he shoots it down and replies with 3 other alternatives! :D

  93. i think we can afford to offload xisco, smith (high earners) and bring in ben afra, cover for l.b.(samuel), new defensive mid with a big engine!!

    on another note, it seems prince boating and o’hara are still available

  97. Ice-nowt too bad actually mate! Think alot of my mates know that although they beat us they looked far from impressive and to be fair we controlled the game for large periods of time. They did alot of ball chasing and had we been better in the final third, we’d have beat them.
    My old man is Scottish though and Rangers were his team but he’s luckily kept quiet aswell, lol.

  98. Toonsy-Friday is the day we’ve been bringing players in recently is it not? I dont mind when it happens mate, if it does, i’ll be over the moon.

  99. Sir Erec says:
    August 9, 2010 at 11:59 am

    Don’t get excited man. It’s out of the Guardian’s pre-season supplement and all of the prem teams articles are written in the same vein – very tongue in cheek

  100. Mint news this, still would like to see a striker come in aswell.
    what happened to the rumours of Ezequiel Lavezzi earlier this year he would be an awesome signing.

  101. according to sky sports we are close to getting ben arfa and the deal should be done on thursday

  103. Just watch some vids of him on youtube, he is amazing with the ball! A youngmen with great potential. At times he was seen as the best player of France. But only AT TIMES, he really has problems with performing good at longterm.

    some of his best actions and goals :
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YRBl9iGBPs&feature=related
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw5GK2yJq2o
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjLrjf3cKX0

    here you see he has a good vision on the game with precise passes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nlb0NtVPgQ&feature=related

  104. I cant wait for this to be confirmed, ben arfa will be a massive signing for us hopefully followed by the prince and a decent proven left back for back up to enrique, samuel would be a viable option for around £800k and my line up(when all fit) would be:
    GK: Krul
    RB: Simpson
    LB: Enrique
    CB: Campbell
    CB: Taylor
    CM: Gosling & Barton(Captain)
    RAM: Ben Arfa
    LAM: Jonas
    CAM: Boateng
    ST: Carroll

    Notice ive chosen barton as captain reason being he gives 110% on the pitch and commands every area + hes loud and understood which is what you need in what will be a very difficult season, Btw if we dont get Boateng i would put Routledge on RAM and Ben Arfa in CAM just off Carroll,