French starfacing uncertain future at Newcastle.
Check in to Transfer Window: Done Deal Alerts
Joe Kinnear’s arrival at Newcastle United could spell the end of Hatem Ben Arfa’s Newcastle career according to The Independent.
The club were thought to be ready to offer Ben Arfa a contract extension, despite the French midfielder suffering with a number of injury problems since arriving on a permanent deal in January 2011.
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew rates Ben Arfa highly and wants to give the player a pay rise in order to bring him up to the same level as the club’s top earners.
Pardew is keen to keep the player happy as he looks to ward off potential suitors with the likes of Liverpool and Monaco thought to be showing a keen interest in his services.
But it is suggested that Kinnear may instead look to cash in on the tricky winger, with Newcastle owner Mike Ashley unlikely to otherwise sanction lavish spending having previously spent over £50 million over the last three transfer windows.
That could prompt a power struggle between Pardew and Kinnear with relations already thought to be strained within the new managerial setup.
Pardew may find an unlikely ally in chief scout Graham Carr, who helped to sign Ben Arfa, despite a reported breakdown in communication between the pair.