Ben Arfa is finally returning

in 8 days. After all the delays he is without doubt returning next monday.

Taken from the Sunday Sun:

Finally, United have some good news on stricken star man Hatem Ben Arfa. Chief Sports Writer Mark Douglas reports
IT IS the news all Toon fans have been dying to hear – Hatem Ben Arfa is set to return to Newcastle for good in eight days.

And having spent the best part of six months slogging away on his painstaking rehab in France, the mercurial midfielder is desperate to help United in any way they can as they look to revive flagging fortunes after the international break.

Ben Arfa (pictured left) remains touch and go to figure before the end of the season. Desperate to pull on a black-and-white shirt before May, doctors have instructed him to take “one day at a time” in his bid to return – a more sober reflection than his earlier, over-optimistic hope of being back in February.

While it remains unlikely that he will play a significant part in the team before May, returning to complete the final part of his rehab on Tyneside is something of a significant step for both player and club.

Not that Ben Arfa’s case is one of ‘out of sight, out of mind’. The Sunday Sun can reveal that United managing director Derek Llambias and club secretary Lee Charnley paid a visit to the player this week, while owner Mike Ashley has also made a personal check on a 24-year-old clearly seen as a key asset in the years to come.

The positive news on Ben Arfa was relayed by his trusted English advisor Simon Stainrod, who told the Sunday Sun: “At the moment I believe the plan is for Hatem to return a week on Monday and he can’t wait to be back and part of it.

“He’s been working very hard after the initial setbacks and the staff at (French national football centre) Clairefontaine have been great, Newcastle have been great and it’s just a case of playing it by ear now.

“Getting back to Newcastle is a big step for Hatem. The doctors are just telling him to take it one day at a time but I can speak for him when I say he’s desperate to help Newcastle in any way he can.”

The smart money is still on his role being limited to a cheerleader from the sidelines. Having returned to the city temporarily for the Bolton game – a 1-1 draw that Ben Arfa probably could have made a big impact in – his long-term return is a positive development.

But how Alan Pardew must wish for a player of his ability as the margins for error close in and the 10-team survival fight becomes more frantic.
Certainly Ben Arfa’s absence has been a cruel blow for United this season – his creativity, poise and ability to unlock defences especially sorely missed during home games against the Premier League’s middleweights. United have not won enough of them, hence they find themselves embroiled in a fight.

But something good may yet come out of the double leg break that ruined his first campaign in the Premier League.

United’s peerless approach to his rehabilitation has garnered them plenty of positive publicity in the French sporting Press, and word is spreading
through the country’s elite players about Newcastle’s caring approach to their players.

When the France squad gathered in Clairefontaine this week there was plenty of chatter about Newcastle’s hands-on approach to Ben Arfa. Whisper it quietly, but a couple even asked the player to enquire whether United might be interested in bidding for them.

Stainrod points out that Newcastle’s reputation is now sky-high across the Channel.

“Newcastle supporters probably won’t be aware of the reaction that there has been in France to the way Hatem has been cared for, but it has certainly been noted,” he said. “The newspapers have carried the story but I think other professionals can’t believe it either.

“The France national team was at Clairefontaine and the players – and these are top players at big clubs – are amazed at the commitment that Newcastle have made to Hatem.

“From the chairman and owner coming out to see him to the club signing him when he was out with a serious injury, it is just something that you wouldn’t get at a French club.

“It has made an enormous impact on players in France. The fact that they’ve shown such respect for such a high-profile player, of course it adds to the reputation of the club.

“From a Newcastle point of view they could not have been any better with Hatem.

“From the manager, to the owner to the directors to the other players getting messages to him, they could not have handled the situation any better.

“Mike (Ashley) is one of the most important businessmen in the UK so to take time out of his schedule to visit Hatem – well, it just shows how valued he is as a player.

“That is the measure of the man – he wasn’t looking for publicity, he just did it because he wanted to find out how Hatem was.

“But that kind of thing gets out there and Newcastle’s reputation in France has been helped by it, undoubtedly.”

So we might see Ben Arfa before the end of the season and our reputation is rocketing up in France to the point that some of the national team are after a move

 

WOW great news to start sunday morning

 

Good article and it looks as if MA comes out of it smelling of roses too.

Chuffed that Ben Arfar finally looks as if he's ready to go, he'll have a great impact on our end of season games.

Rep for brightening up my day already.

 

Good news'.

As long as he does what he's told and takes it one day at a time.

Just having him back will give player's and fan's a lift.

Good to see that someone from the club have been over to see the lad.

 

It really is good to hear something positive in the media about us these days. And even though the players wanting to be bought by us may be all talk, its good to hear all the same.

 

This. Great news.

 

Brilliant news all round. I'm delighted the way we've looked after him. There's been no pressure put on him and we've made sure he has the very best support and services available to him. We could easily have told him to stay in the UK for rehab but letting him stay in France with friends and family nearby was 100% the right thing to do. Past regimes may have told him to stay in the NE and rushed him back, but we're taking the right approach. It'll show him even more how important he is to the club. Hopefully we get the six more points we need to stay up sooner rather than later then we can all look forward to seeing him back in action next season. Ben Arfa playing off a main striker will be immense. Add a new winger and CB to the mix and I can't bloody wait!

The positive press in France is also brilliant. From what I gather we already had a decent reputation in France so this will only enhance it. If we are after the likes of Sow and Gervinho then this will help spark their interest. Having players of Ben Arfa's ability will help convince other top players to come and join the revoultion.

 

With Tiote here to sweeten the deal and the Ben Arfa situation making us so loved in France, I can see Gervinho seriously considering a move here in summer

 

Maybe add Gamiero or Sow to that list aswell

 

Hope the rummours turn out to be true as the lad seems keen to come to SJP.

 

I smell a raid on Ligue Un coming up Gameiro and Gervinho would satisfy me tbh, then maybe Fanny for comedy purposes.

 

Now now TW, you're much too young for that kind of thing.

 

. Going to watch it later. Could have put a spoiler alert.

Brilliant news about Hatem though, maybe thats why Gervinho has been saying such good things about our club! Gervinho, Gameiro & Sow all go on strike until they can join us for free?

 

Same, was gonna but then saw this so just looked up the result. -_-

 

sorry

 

That would be nice.

 

Aaarrrrgggh exciting
I like the whisper it quietly part about us putting a cheeky bid in for French players!!

 

That bit in bold made me smile. I know the French national team was poo last year but there's loads of good players in france.

 

Hopefully one of those people was Gameiro! Wouldn't mind Gervinho Gameiro Ben Arfa up front next season?

 

This is obviously assuming Shola's injured?