French giants Paris Saint-Germain have confirmed the signing of Hatem Ben Arfa from Nice on a two-year deal.
The 29-year-old French midfielder was in incredible form last season and has been under the radar of top European clubs after he was declared a ‘Free Agent’ by Ligue 1 side Nice.
Ben Arfa scored 17 goals and created 33 chances with six assists to his name from 34 appearances in the last Ligue 1 season. The French playmaker completed 972 passes last season with a pass accuracy of 80%.
Barcelona and Lyon were keen on roping in the services of the former Newcastle United player this summer but PSG had the last laugh as they overcame all the competition and convinced the talentd midfielder to sign for the club.
Speaking to PSG’s official website, Ben Arfa said: “Signing with Paris Saint-Germain is a very happy and a proud moment. Paris Saint-Germain has always been a very special team for me, so to wear this jersey at the Parc des Princes is a childhood dream.”
“It is an honour that the club is giving me this opportunity, making this dream come true. I will do my utmost to represent my new team to the best of my abilities and to make our supporters proud.”
“Finally, I would like to thank OGC Nice, who helped me get back to enjoying my football again and gave me another chance to show French fans what I am capable of on the pitch,” he concluded.
Ben Arfa becomes the first summer signing of newly appointed PSG coach Unai Emery and FootTheBall sources confirm that the 29-year-old French player will don the No.21 shirt for his new club.
PSG have signed Hatem Ben Arfa to a two-year deal through June 2018 #TheDreamHunter https://t.co/gI3BQWV3u5 pic.twitter.com/b5bGnaUEdo
— PSG English (@PSG_English) July 1, 2016
PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi heaped praise on Ben Arfa as he said, “I am happy to welcome such a talented player as Hatem Ben Arfa to our club. For numerous years now, Hatem has been a major player in French football and was one of the most brilliant players in Ligue 1 last season.”
“Our fans have been anticipating the arrival of a player of his style and I know he will provide them with a lot of excitement on the field. With his support, Paris Saint-Germain reaffirms its commitment to develop a spectacular style of football,” he concluded.