Marseille are looking to seal a €12million (£9.5million) deal for a Lyon star who was heralded as the future of French football, along with team-mate Karim Benzema, only 4 months ago. Reports suggested that Premiership teams like Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United had been tracking the player, but with this “sideways” move to Marseille on the cards, has the Premiership lost interest?

Hatem Ben Arfa was lauded for his performances for the French champions in last season’s Champions League, but the hype died down as Lyon were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Manchester United and he was omitted from the French Euro 2008 squad.

Could it be that Arsenal have backed off as part of the deal to bring Samir Nasri to the Emirates Stadium? Could Manchester United have been distracted by the Ronaldo saga? Did Tottenham lose sight of him with their signing of Giovanni dos Santos?

Whatever the reason, these teams could still make a move for the left winger, as all is not wrapped up and Lyon are getting impatient. Ben Arfa is yet to sign his contract with Marseille and Les Gones insists he must be gone before the Ligue 1 registration deadline for the deal to go through:

Lyon inform that the eventual transfer of Hatem Ben Arfa to Marseille must take place before tomorrow evening, Friday June 27, so that it is registered with the league before June 30.

Without an agreement between the player and Lyon, Lyon will be led to renounce the transfer.