Football: Ben Arfa's Nice move "finished"

Football: Ben Arfa's Nice move "finished"
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Summary It's finished with Nice, says Ben.

NICE (AFP) - French international Hatem Ben Arfa s move to Nice is "finished" after FIFA refused to validate his transfer from Newcastle because he had already played for two clubs this season, he said Tuesday.

"It s finished with Nice," said the 27-year-old midfielder, adding he could "possibly" find a solution "abroad".

"I m depressed, very sad, but I will not stop my career like that, I m ready to go to the North Pole to play," he told a press conference.

"There are so many possibilities that I cannot say more about my future," added the former Lyon and Marseille player.

Ben Arfa had turned out for Newcastle s under-21 team at the beginning of the season and also played for Premier League side Hull on loan.

Under world football s governing body rules, he cannot join a third team during the same season.

The French Football League immediately slapped a ban on Ben Arfa from playing for Nice this season.

However, the league s judicial commission said they would allow the player to train with the Ligue 1 club.

The English Football Association (FA) had contacted FIFA on January 23 in a bid to clear up confusion concerning the transfer of the French midfielder.

"We don t consider U21 games as official matches," the FA said in letter to FIFA, in a bid to "clear all ambiguity" concerning Ben Arfa s case.
 

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