Ben Arfa linked with free transfer to West Ham
Published:
Hatem Ben Arfa has been linked with a sensational move to West Ham United in media reports today.
The French ace has been without a club since being released from his Paris Saint-Germain contract. The 31-year-old is too good to be sitting on his behind not playing.
And we’ve set out a few reasons why London Stadium would be the perfect destination.
Mercurial players rise in East London
If there’s one thing West Ham fans love, it’s a maverick attacking player who gets bums off seats. Over the years, the Hammers have enjoyed the likes of Dmitri Payet, Joe Cole, and Paolo Di Canio.
And Ben Arfa certainly fits that template. The former Nice star’s unpredictable nature lends itself perfectly to the East End setting. His driving, mazy runs, and penchant for incredible solo goals would be lapped up Irons supporters.
Main man
While Ben Arfa has struggled a little at bigger clubs, it’s at the less-fashionable clubs that he really performs.
It didn’t go well at Ligue 1 giants Olympique Marseille or PSG. The expectation seemed to weigh heavily on him. But at the likes of Nice, and Newcastle United, he thrived.
He was the main man at both clubs and the attack centred around him. It’s possible he’d get similar treatment under Manuel Pellegrini.
Style suits
And if any coach was going to favour Ben Arfa’s style of play, it’s definitely Pellegrini. The Chilean likes to employ an offensive approach based on intricate passing and width.
Enter: Hatem Ben Arfa. The former Lyon ace isn’t exactly known for his defensive discipline. And would have struggled under David Moyes, you’d think.
However, Pellegrini would likely hand him license to drift and create a bit of havoc in opposition defences. It has to happen.
West Ham are 11/10 to finish in the top half of the Premier League.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
