Hatem Ben Arfa Would Be Welcomed to Montreal Impact, According to Remi Garde

Hatem Ben Arfa. Photo by Alfonso Jimenez/REX/Shutterstock

Paris Saint-Germain’s attacking midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa recently announced that he will be leaving the team in the summer after his contract expires. It turns out that when that happens, he could be heading to Major League Soccer.

Montreal Impact’s head coach Remi Garde, who previously worked with Ben Arfa in Lyon, said that Impact would “welcome” the 31-year-old if he decides to move to MLS.

We know each other very well,” – said Garde. “If Hatem is coming to MLS, he is welcome here.

Hatem Ben Arfa and Remi Garde spent a couple of years working together when Ben Arfa was a youngster in Lyon and Garde worked as an assistant coach with the team.

Once regarded as one of France’s most talented soccer players, Hatem Ben Arfa didn’t live up to expectations during his career. He started his professional career in Lyon, where he played for four years, before deciding to move to Marseille after clashing with some of the players and coaching staff. After a good showing in Marseille, Ben Arfa earned himself a transfer to England’s Newcastle United in 2010. During his time in England, Ben Arfa struggled with injuries and ended his spell with the team on a disappointing note.

In 2015 he returned to France, signing with Nice, and it looked like he resurrected his career. He was an integral part of Nice’s strong 2015-16 season, scoring 18 goals in 37 matches. He became one of the most sought-after players in the summer of 2016, eventually deciding to sign with PSG. That turned to be a bad decision since Ben Arfa didn’t get much room for playing in a stacked PSG’s team.

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