Hatem Ben Arfa is desperate to leave Newcastle United this summer…
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Newcastle United are prepared to offer want-away forward Hatem Ben Arfa to Lyon on loan, in an attempt to convince the French side into selling them Alexandre Lacazette.
Reports in the Daily Mail claim that the Magpies have been pursuing the 23-year-old striker, who has also been linked with Liverpool, throughout the summer, but have so far failed to reach an agreement with his club.
Lacazette, who has been capped twice by France, would reportedly prefer to join a club with Champions League football, but could yet be tempted into a move to Tyneside.
Newcastle will attempt to sweeten the deal by offering Lyon Ben Arfa as a makeweight in the exchange. The 27-year-old outcast, who was once a transfer target for Liverpool following a series of excellent performances, is free to leave St. James’ Park this summer after an extremely disappointing end to last season.
Ben Arfa is training with the reserves at present after manager Alan Pardew criticised his ‘professionalism’, and it is thought there is no possibility of a reprieve.
Newcastle would have to pay a portion of the 27-year-old’s £50,000-per-week wages should he join Lyon on loan, while a fee of around £15m has been quoted for pacey frontman Lacazette, who scored 23 times last season.