Ben Arfa has returned to light training

Sky Sports informs Newcastle midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa is close to return to full training, after being on the sidelines for weeks with a hamstring injury.

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew welcomed the returning of his player and said the he could take part in the Premier League clash against Southampton on 24th of February. Pardew could not hide his excitement with a perspective of fielding all his big guns against top Premier League side.

He said: “You’d like to think with Yoan on one side, Ben Arfa on the other and Moussa Sissoko and (Papiss) Cisse through the middle - blimey, that’s mouth-watering for us. I think there’s a possibility Hatem will be back for the next home game. You put Cheick Tiote and Sissoko in there and we have got a really, really good side if we can get it out on the pitch.”