The 29-year-old has found himself on the fringes of things at the Parc des Princes after such an explosive season earned him a great deal of popularity last term.
When Hatem Ben Arfa scored 17 times for Nice in Ligue 1 last season, he appeared a player rejuvenated.
The dancing feet and mesmerizing dribbling skills that were evident early in his career but had so often been prone to vanishing under scrutiny were on display with more regularity than ever before. He was one of Le Championnat’s outstanding players and deservedly was touted for a place in the France squad for Euro 2016.